Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson was an American author born on February 20, 1926, in Allendale, New Jersey. He was the son of Norwegian immigrants and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Matheson attended Brooklyn Technical High School and then the University of Missouri, where he earned a degree in journalism. Matheson began his writing career in the 1950s, and his work spanned multiple genres, including science fiction, horror, and fantasy. He was a prolific author, with over 90 short stories and 25 novels to his name. He was also a screenwriter, adapting many of his own works for film and television. One of Matheson's most famous works is the novel I Am Legend, published in 1954. The book tells the story of the last man on Earth after a pandemic turns the rest of humanity into vampires. The novel has been adapted for film several times, including the 1964 film The Last Man on Earth, the 1971 film The Omega Man, and the 2007 film I Am Legend. Another notable work by Matheson is the novel What Dreams May Come, published in 1978