Thurston wrote a total of forty books, from which seventeen motion pictures were made. In addition, he authored several theatrical plays, three of which were performed on Broadway and four of which were made into motion pictures. His best known work for the stage is "The Wandering Jew", a play based on the legend written in four parts, which was performed on Broadway in 1921. The play was adapted for a silent film of the same name in 1923, and a sound remake was released in 1933. His third wife, Emily, published the play as a novel in 1934.