Don Pierce, a short time line for the man who wrote the script for Cool Hand Luke:
- Lied about his age at 15, registered for the draft, and was inducted into the United States Army in 1944.
- Frustrated by the army's rules, he went AWOL.
- Wrote his mother a letter, she contacted the Army, informed them of his true age, and he was thrown out.
- He then joined the Merchant Marine and traveled to Spain, Denmark, France, Portugal and Bombay.
- Post-war Europe had a thriving black market, and Pearce became involved in counterfeiting American money.
- He attempted to pass some counterfeit bills to a police officer in Marseilles, and was arrested, tried, and sent to prison.
- Pearce broke out of prison and made his way to the Italian border.
- Forged passport documents, snuck on a cruise to Canada, crossed from Canada into the United States, and began a new career in burglary.
- He became a safecracker at the age of twenty
- Was eventually arrested and served two years in the Florida Department of Corrections chain gangs.
- In 1965 Scribners published his first novel, Cool Hand Luke, while in prison.
- Frustrated by the army's rules, he went AWOL.
- Wrote his mother a letter, she contacted the Army, informed them of his true age, and he was thrown out.
- He then joined the Merchant Marine and traveled to Spain, Denmark, France, Portugal and Bombay.
- Post-war Europe had a thriving black market, and Pearce became involved in counterfeiting American money.
- He attempted to pass some counterfeit bills to a police officer in Marseilles, and was arrested, tried, and sent to prison.
- Pearce broke out of prison and made his way to the Italian border.
- Forged passport documents, snuck on a cruise to Canada, crossed from Canada into the United States, and began a new career in burglary.
- He became a safecracker at the age of twenty
- Was eventually arrested and served two years in the Florida Department of Corrections chain gangs.
- In 1965 Scribners published his first novel, Cool Hand Luke, while in prison.