- Brother-in-law of S.J. Perelman
- Killed with his wife in a two-car accident in California while returning from a hunting trip in Mexico.
- Before his death West earned only $1280 from the publication of his four novels.
- Brother-in-law of Ruth McKenney.
- Brother of Laura Perelman.
- Died the same weekend as his colleague F. Scott Fitzgerald, another respected novelist turned Hollywood screenwriter.
- His wife, Eileen McKenney, was the real life Eileen of "My Sister Eileen" fame. The story and films were based on her sister Ruth's writings.
- West was practically unknown to the American public during his lifetime. On 22 Dec 1940, he and his wife Eileen McKenney were returning to Los Angeles from a hunting trip in Mexico to attend the funeral of his friend, F. Scott Fitzgerald, when he ran a stop sign in El Centro, California, and hit another vehicle. He and his wife were killed. McKenney had been the inspiration for the title character in the play "My Sister Eileen", and she and West had been scheduled to fly to New York City for the Broadway opening on 26 Dec 1940. West was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery in Queens, New York, with his wife's ashes placed in his coffin.
- Close friend of Quentin Reynolds.
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