Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson (1926–2013) served with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II, graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri, and was the author of many classic novels and short stories. He wrote in a variety of genres including terror, fantasy, horror, paranormal, suspense, science fiction and western.

His short stories appeared in magazines as diverse as Playboy, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Galaxy, Detective Story, Weird Tales, Western Stories, Stag and For Men Only. His novels, meanwhile, often blended science fiction and fantasy, be it the post-apocalyptic vampires of I Am Legend or the exploration of the afterlife in What Dreams May Come.

In addition to books, he wrote prolifically for television (including The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Star Trek) and numerous feature films. Many of Matheson’s novels and stories have been made into movies including I Am Legend, Somewhere in Time, and The Shrinking Man, and he worked with filmmakers ranging from Roger Corman to Steven Spielberg.

His many awards include the World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards for Lifetime Achievement, the Hugo Award, Edgar Award, Spur Award for Best Western Novel, and Writer’s Guild awards. Matheson received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1984, the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Horror Writers Association in 1991, and the Science Fiction Hall of Fame inducted him in 2010.