This collection contains materials pertaining to Gann's ship, the Albatros. Included are black and white photographs, ship blueprints, and copies of ship logs. Gann purchased the ship in 1954, and it appeared in the 1958 movie "Twilight for the Gods", which was based on one of Gann’s novels. Gann later sold the Albatros to a sailing school, and it sunk in a squall in 1961, killing several passengers. This incident was the subject of the 1996 film "White Squall". Throughout his life Gann held a variety of jobs, including general manager of Broadway plays, commercial fisherman, cartoonist, commercial pilot, barnstormer pilot, and newsreel cameraman, before becoming an author and screenwriter. Gann’s first novel, “Island in the Sky,” was published in 1940, and those that followed dealt with flying, sailing, or adventurous historical themes. His novels were translated into successful movies and a television miniseries. He lived in Pebble Beach until 1965, when he moved to the San Juan Islands in Washington State.

Ernest K. Gann was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on October 13, 1910. He lived in St. Paul, Minnesota as a child, graduated magna cum laude from Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, and attended the Yale School of Drama. He later held a variety of jobs – general manager of Broadway plays, commercial fisherman, cartoonist, commercial pilot, barnstormer pilot, newsreel cameraman, and eventually author and screenwriter. Gann’s first novel, “Island in the Sky,” was published in 1940, and those that followed dealt with flying, sailing, or adventurous historical themes. His novels were translated into successful movies and a television miniseries. In 1954 Gann purchased the 1920s schooner the Albatros. The ship appeared in the 1958 movie "Twilight for the Gods", which was based on one of Gann’s novels. Gann later sold the Albatros to a sailing school, and it sunk in a squall in 1961, killing several passengers. This incident was the subject of the 1996 film "White Squall". Ernest Gann lived in Pebble Beach until 1965, when he moved to the San Juan Islands in Washington State.

1 archival box

The Henry Meade Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library does not hold copyright to these items. Permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder by the user.

Materials are open for research.