From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Richard Jessup (January 2, 1925 in Savannah, Georgia - October 22, 1982 in Nokomis, Florida) was an American author and screenwriter. He also wrote under the name of Richard Telfair. Mr. Jessup spent his early years in and out of a local orphanage before running away to sea as a merchant seaman. In an interview in 1970, he said that he had read himself around the world, ferreting out English-language bookshops at each port of call and reading a book a day while at sea. During