Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 â€" June 23, 2013) was an
American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror,
and science fiction genres.He is best known as the author of I Am
Legend, a 1954 science fiction horror novel that has been adapted for
the screen three times, the first of which, The Last Man on Earth, was
co-scripted by him and starred Vincent Price. (The other two
adaptations are The Omega Man with Charlton Heston and I Am Legend
with Will Smith.) Matheson also wrote 16 television episodes of The
Twilight Zone, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "Steel", as
well as several adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories for Roger
Corman and American International Pictures â€" House of Usher, The Pit
and the Pendulum, Tales of Terror and The Raven. He adapted his 1971
short story "Duel" as a screenplay directed by Steven Spielberg for
the television film Duel that year.In addition, to I Am Legend and
Duel, nine more of his novels and short stories have been adapted as
motion pictures: The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking
Man), Hell House (filmed as The Legend of Hell House), What Dreams May
Come, Bid Time Return (filmed as Somewhere in Time), A Stir of Echoes,
Steel (filmed as Real Steel), and Button, Button (filmed as The Box).
The movie Cold Sweat was based on his novel Riding the Nightmare, and
Les seins de glace ("Icy Breasts") was based on his novel Someone is
Bleeding. Both Steel and Button, Button had previously been episodes
of The Twilight Zone.
American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror,
and science fiction genres.He is best known as the author of I Am
Legend, a 1954 science fiction horror novel that has been adapted for
the screen three times, the first of which, The Last Man on Earth, was
co-scripted by him and starred Vincent Price. (The other two
adaptations are The Omega Man with Charlton Heston and I Am Legend
with Will Smith.) Matheson also wrote 16 television episodes of The
Twilight Zone, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "Steel", as
well as several adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories for Roger
Corman and American International Pictures â€" House of Usher, The Pit
and the Pendulum, Tales of Terror and The Raven. He adapted his 1971
short story "Duel" as a screenplay directed by Steven Spielberg for
the television film Duel that year.In addition, to I Am Legend and
Duel, nine more of his novels and short stories have been adapted as
motion pictures: The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking
Man), Hell House (filmed as The Legend of Hell House), What Dreams May
Come, Bid Time Return (filmed as Somewhere in Time), A Stir of Echoes,
Steel (filmed as Real Steel), and Button, Button (filmed as The Box).
The movie Cold Sweat was based on his novel Riding the Nightmare, and
Les seins de glace ("Icy Breasts") was based on his novel Someone is
Bleeding. Both Steel and Button, Button had previously been episodes
of The Twilight Zone.
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