Hotel detective

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A hotel detective, also known as a house detective,[1] is a person hired to monitor the security of a hotel and investigate various security, morality, or rule violations therein.[2] Wearing plain clothes, they are distinct from uniformed security guards employed by a hotel, and are often retired or former police officers with additional training.[2]

Notable people who once worked as hotel detectives include baseball player Roger Bresnahan (1879–1944) and actor Michael Dunn (1934–1973).

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Hotel detectives have prominence in certain noir fiction, especially in the works of Raymond Chandler, where detectives are occasionally referred to as "dicks."[3] American films that feature hotel detectives include Listen Lester (1924), The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940), One Thrilling Night (1942), and Don't Bother to Knock (1952). The 1973 song "We're an American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad includes the line "The hotel detective, he was outta sight."[2] The song "(She Was A) Hotel Detective" by They Might Be Giants was featured on their debut album in 1986. American author Alan Russell published a novel titled The Hotel Detective in 1994.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Spencer, Luke J (May 31, 2022). "The Bygone Era Of The Hotel Detective". messynessychic.com. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Kalogerakis, George (May 4, 2009). "Hotel Detectives". Travel and Leisure. Archived from the original on March 30, 2007.
  3. ^ Chandler, Raymond (1992). The Big Sleep (First Vintage crime/Black Lizard ed.). New York: Vintage Books. p. 28. ISBN 0-394-75828-5. OCLC 26717361.
  4. ^ "The Hotel Detective". goodreads.com. Retrieved October 12, 2025.

Further reading

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