Character descriptionBanker, on the boards of 8 corporations (as best he can remember off the cuff). President of the Federal Holding Corporation.

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Character descriptionMaster chef in Wolfe's kitchen, has a small apartment in the basement. (In "Fer-De-Lance," his apartment is across from the plant room, not in the basement.) Swiss; native French speaker, served in WWI. Uninterested in murder, except whether a client is in the offing; gets anxious about household finance when Wolfe isn't working. Doesn't like to talk while cooking. Changes to his old slippers at 9 pm because of "things left on his feet by the war to remember it by". Implied he was a member of the Swiss Alpine Patrol during WWI.

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Character descriptionSecond in line behind Saul Panzer when Nero and Archie need extra manpower.

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Character descriptionInspector with NYPD, Homicide. Has tolerate / hate relationship with Wolfe. He respects Wolfe, but is greatly irritated by his eccentricities. Habitually chews (but rarely lights) cigars. Notably, Cramer lights a cigar in Wolfe's office during "Instead of Evidence" in which the murder weapon is an exploding cigar! First name is given as Fergus one time, but generally accepted as Lionel. Had a son in the Army Air Corps during WWII. Archie has called Mrs. Cramer on the phone more than once to reach the Inspector at home. Archie's favorite alias for him is "the man about the chair" or "any name with a double "d", e.g., Mr. Judd". At no time is Inspector Cramer ever referred to in the books as "Lionel T." Cramer; his first name is given as "Fergus" in "Where There's a Will." There is a lone later reference to him as L.T.C. (The Silent Speaker), but never Lionel. Stout's biographer, John McAleer, asked Stout to explain the "Fergus"/"L.T.C" discrepancy; Stout replied: "No significance. Laziness. I didn't bother to check on whether he already had a first name. Of course, all discrepancies in the Nero Wolfe stories are Archie Goodwin's fault." (from "Royal Decree; Conversations with Rex Stout) He is featured in a book by Stout called Red Threads, first published 1939, tracking down a killer with a young fashion designer. There is no reference to Nero Wolfe.

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Character descriptionLily Rowan's cook and housekeeper, who travels with her, e.g. to the Bar JR in Montana.

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Character descriptionResearcher, Smith graduate.

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Character descriptionVice-president, Raymond Thorne Productions; deceased. Mother of Amy Denovo.

Reserved notes for this caseMurdered. Birth name, Carlotta Vaughn, which she changed after having a daughter (Amy Denovo) out of wedlock during WWII.

Character descriptionHired hand used by Wolfe and Archie when extra manpower is needed. Not the best, but can tail better than anybody but Saul. The favorite "irregular" after Saul - Fritz: "I'm glad it's Orrie instead of Saul or Fred"; Archie: "Such a chore for Saul or Fred of course, but I didn't like doing it for Orrie."; Mr Wolfe: "He doesn't have the dignity of a man who has found his place and occupies it, as you have, Fred." Bald, burly, 5'10, 190 lbs; moves like a bear. Married with four children. Archie: "You can trust him to hell and back."

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Character descriptionNero Wolfe's tough and witty assistant.

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Character descriptionOlder man. Wolfe's orchid nurse. Lives in small cubbyhole on the roof with the plants. First mentioned in ch. 3 of "Fer-de-lance" - Archie sometimes hears him shouting at Wolfe in the mornings.

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Character descriptionVice-President, Continental Bank & Trust Company; in charge of the 34th Street branch.

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Character descriptionWealthy widower (wife died of cancer), on the boards of 9 corporations. Estranged father of Eugene Jarrett. Noted for always facing up to things he considers himself responsible for. Age 75 at the time of _The Father Hunt_.

Reserved notes for this caseFather of illegitimate son, Floyd Vance.

Character descriptionVice-president, Seaboard Bank & Trust Company. Estranged son of Cyrus M. Jarrett. 4F status in WWII; married.

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Character descriptionWaiter at Sardi's at the time of _The Father Hunt_; formerly a waiter at Tufitti's.

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Character descriptionVice-president, Seaboard Bank & Trust Company.

Reserved notes for this caseIdentifies Elinor Denovo as Carlotta Vaughn.

Character descriptionTop hired hand Nero and Archie look to for manpower. Hosts regular Thursday night poker game at eight pm at his apartment in Brooklyn. Rust-colored hair, 5'7, 145 lbs, big nose and flat ears. In the "Rubber Band" (ch. 6) Archie tells us that Panzer has a photographic memory when it comes to faces.

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Character descriptionMarried to wealthy Sarah Rackham, ten years his senior. Played football at Yale, worked on Wall Street until the war, became a major, and married in 1946.

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Character descriptionAttractive blonde. Daughter of millionaire sewer man James Rowan, owns the Bar JR ranch in Montana.

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Character descriptionRuns the Sebor Shopping Service in Rockefeller Center (10th floor suite). Aged 50 at the time of _The Father Hunt_, blue-eyed, grey-haired.

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Character descriptionInitially an employee in N.Y. D.A.'s office. Later Cramer's man. Detective (sergeant). Unfriendly.

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Character descriptionPresident, Raymond Thorne Productions (TV producer).

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Character descriptionUnsuccessful PR man; 4F status in WWII.

Reserved notes for this caseMurdered Elinor Denovo, who was ruining him professionally.

Character descriptionMaster detective. Genius. Estimated weight: 1/7 ton. Carries a large platinum watch in his vest pocket. Sends a check every month to his mother in Budapest ("Fer-de-lance, ch. 13)..

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