Crime writer Elmore Leonard dead at 87

UPDATED 6:05 P.M.: Elmore Leonard, the personable, prolific and masterful crime writer who authored 45 novels and whose characters formed the basis of more than 20 movies, including "Get Shorty," "Out of Sight," and "Jackie Brown," died yesterday morning at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, after suffering a stroke July 29.

Leonard, 87, who was in the midst of his 46th novel at the time of his death, was "the original jazz man" of crime fiction," David Highfill, vice-president and executive editor at William Morrow Publishers, said in a statement. "His voice - sly, gentle, funny, often startling, always human - will speak to readers for generations to come through Ray Givens, Jack Foley, Chili Palmer and so many other unforgettable characters. I miss him already," Highfill said.

In an amNewNork interview last year, Leonard said his favorite portrayal of one of his characters was that of Raylan by Timothy Olyphant in the FX series "Justified." He also said he strove to see the humor in all circumstances, including those involving aging and death.