Richard Matheson
(February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013)
Richard Burton Matheson was an author and screenwriter, primarily in the SF, fantasy, and horror genres. He was known best as the author of I Am Legend, a 1954 horror novel that has been adapted for the screen three times, although five more of his novels have been adapted as major motion pictures: The Shrinking Man, Hell House, What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return (filmed as Somewhere in Time), and A Stir of Echoes.
Matheson also wrote numerous television episodes of The Twilight Zone for Rod Serling, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "Steel." He later adapted his 1971 short story "Duel" as a screenplay which was directed by a young Steven Spielberg, for the TV movie of the same name.
In the early 1950s he was part of a group of friends in California that wrote SF. The group included William Nolan, Chad Oliver, Charles Beaumont, and Ray Bradbury.
His son, Richard Christian Matheson, is also a writer.
Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.
Awards, Honors and GoHships:
- 1956 -- Westercon 9
- 1958 -- Solacon, Outstanding Movie Hugo (screenplay)
- 1977 -- World Fantasy Convention III and Desertcon 5
- 1984 -- World Fantasy Convention Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1991 -- Bram Stoker Award
- 2001 -- 1951 Best Short Story Retro Hugo nominee
- 2010 -- Science Fiction Hall of Fame
- 2013 -- World Fantasy Convention 2013
- Readercon Small Press Award
| Person | 1926—2013 |
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