Tom Clancy Dead: Bestselling Author Dies At 66

Tom Clancy, a celebrated author of crime fiction and military thrillers, died on Tuesday in a hospital in Baltimore. He was 66.

Ivan Held, the president of Putnam Books, Clancy's publisher, confirmed his death to the New York Times, adding that Clancy "was a thrill to work with." He did not provide a cause of death.

Clancy was born in Baltimore, Md., on April 12, 1947. He was the author of the popular Jack Ryan series, among many others. His novels have repeatedly hit #1 on The New York Times bestseller list, and four of his books were adapted for film, including his first, "The Hunt for Red October." His latest book, "Command Authority," is slated for publication this December.

Although most of his writing involved fictionalized accounts of the aftermath of the Cold War, Clancy also penned a slew of nonfiction titles, including "Guided Tours" inside nuclear warships and Air Force combat wings.

In addition to his literary ventures, Clancy co-founded Red Storm Entertainment, a video game developer that created games mostly based on the plots of his books, such as "Rainbow Six."

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post said that only three of Clancy's books had been made into movies.