John Creasey

He created several ongoing characters, such as The Toff (The Honourable Richard Rollison), Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard, Inspector Roger West, The Baron (John Mannering), Doctor Emmanuel Cellini and Doctor Stanislaus Alexander Palfrey. Gideon of Scotland Yard was the basis for the television series ''Gideon's Way'' and for the John Ford movie ''Gideon's Day'' (1958). The Baron character was made into a 1960s TV series starring Steve Forrest as ''The Baron''. Provided by Wikipedia