Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American-British writer who became synonymous with crime novels, California and the movies. He had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. At least three of Chandler's novels have been regarded as masterpieces: Farewell, My Lovely, The Little Sister, and The Long Goodbye. Six of his novels were made into films and his signature protagonist Philip Marlowe was played by Humphrey Bogard.