Charles Beaumont (January 2, 1929 – February 21, 1967) was an

American author American literature is literature written or produced in the United States of America and in the colonies that preceded it. The American literary tradition thus is part of the broader tradition of English-language literature, but also inc ...

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...

, including

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

in the horror and

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

subgenres.Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, "Beaumont, Charles" in

David Pringle David Pringle (born 1 March 1950) is a Scottish science fiction editor and critic. Pringle served as the editor of ''Foundation'', an academic journal, from 1980 to 1986, during which time he became one of the prime movers of the collective whic ...

, ed., ''St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers''. London: St. James Press, 1998. (pp. 37-39). He is remembered as a writer of classic '' Twilight Zone'' episodes, such as "

The Howling Man "The Howling Man" is episode 41 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on November 4, 1960 on CBS. The episode was based on the short story by Charles Beaumont published in the November 1959 issue o ...

", "

Static Static may refer to: Places *Static Nunatak, a nunatak in Antarctica United States * Static, Kentucky and Tennessee *Static Peak, a mountain in Wyoming **Static Peak Divide, a mountain pass near the peak Science and technology Physics *Static el ...

", "

Miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or probl ...

", "

Printer's Devil A printer's devil was a young apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type. Notable writers including Ambrose Bierce, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain served ...

", and " Number Twelve Looks Just Like You", but also penned the screenplays for several films, such as ''

7 Faces of Dr. Lao ''7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' is a 1964 American Metrocolor Western fantasy-comedy film directed by George Pal (his final directorial effort) and starring Tony Randall. The film, an adaptation of the 1935 novel ''The Circus of Dr. Lao'' by Charles G. ...

'', '' The Intruder'', and ''

The Masque of the Red Death "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague ...

''. Novelist

Dean Koontz Dean Ray Koontz (born July 9, 1945) is an American author. His novels are billed as Thriller (genre), suspense thrillers, but frequently incorporate elements of horror fiction, horror, fantasy, science fiction, Mystery fiction, mystery, and satir ...

said "Charles Beaumont was one of the seminal influences on writers of the fantastic and macabre." Beaumont is also the subject of the documentary ''Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone's Magic Man'' by

Jason V. Brock Jason Vincent Brock (born March 1, 1970) is an American author, artist, editor and filmmaker. He is the CEO and co-founder (with his wife, Sunni) of JaSunni Productions, LLC, whose documentary films include ''Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of ...

Life and work

Beaumont was born Charles Leroy Nutt in Chicago, the only child of Charles Hiram Nutt (an auditor of freight accounts for the Chicago & Alton Railroad) and Violet "Letty" (Phillips) Nutt, a homemaker who had been a

scenarist A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. T ...

Essanay Studios The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an early American motion picture studio. The studio was founded in 1907 in Chicago, and later developed an additional film lot in Niles Canyon, California. Its various stars included Francis X. Bushman, ...

. His father was 56 when Charles was born; Letty, his mother, was 22 years her husband's junior. Letty is known to have dressed young Charles in girls' clothes, and once threatened to kill his dog to punish him. These early experiences inspired the celebrated short story "Miss Gentilbelle", but according to Beaumont, "Football, baseball, and dimestore cookie thefts filled my early world". School did not hold his attention, and his last name exposed him to ridicule, so Charles Nutt found solace as a teenager in science fiction. He dropped out of high school in tenth grade to join the army. He also worked as a cartoonist, illustrator, disc jockey, usher, and dishwasher before selling his first story to ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

'' in 1950. During his time as an illustrator, he briefly used the pseudonyms Charles McNutt (circa 1947/48) and E.T. Beaumont (inspired by a female artist named "Miss Beaumont" with whom he had collaborated in Everett, Washington), before settling on the name Charles Beaumont. He soon adopted this name legally and used it both personally and professionally for the rest of his life. In 1954, ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' magazine selected his story "Black Country" to be the first work of short fiction to appear in its pages. It was at this time that Beaumont started writing for television and film. Beaumont was energetic and spontaneous, and was known to take trips (sometimes out of the country) at a moment's notice. An avid

racing In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...

fan, he often enjoyed participating in or watching area speedway races, with other authors tagging along. Beaumont and several friends built their own

SCCA The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional r ...

H Modified racecar dubbed the "Monzetta", consisting of

Panhard Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks Defense, was formed ...

mechanicals and a Devin body and chassis, which was raced at many Southern California tracks including

Paramount Ranch Racetrack Paramount Ranch Racetrack (sometimes called Paramount Ranch Raceway) was a motorsports racetrack located at Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains in Agoura Hills, California. A total of seven events were held at Paramount Ranch from 1956 ...

. His cautionary fables include "The Beautiful People" (1952), about a rebellious adolescent girl in a future conformist society in which people are obligated to alter their physical appearance (adapted with friend and frequent writing partner John Tomerlin as an episode of '' Twilight Zone'', ("

Number 12 Looks Just Like You "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It is set in a dystopian future in which everyone, upon reaching adulthood, has their body surgically altered into one of a set of p ...

")), and "Free Dirt" (1955), about a man who gorges on his entire vegetable harvest and dies from having consumed the magical soil he used to grow it. His short story "The Crooked Man" (also published by ''

'' in 1955) presents a dystopian future wherein heterosexuality is stigmatized in the same way that homosexuality then was, with heterosexual people living furtively like pre-Stonewall gay and lesbian people. In the story, a heterosexual man meets his lover in a gay orgy bar; they try to have sex in a curtained booth (she dressed in male drag) and are caught. Beaumont wrote several scripts for ''The Twilight Zone'', including an adaptation of his own short story, "

", about a prisoner who might be the Devil, and the hour-long "

Valley of the Shadow "Valley of the Shadow" is a 51-minute episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, a reporter is held captive in a small town after he discovers its incredible secret. Opening narration Plot Repor ...

", about a cloistered Utopia that refuses to share its startlingly advanced technology with the outside world. Beaumont scripted the film ''

Queen of Outer Space ''Queen of Outer Space'' is a 1958 American science fiction feature film shot in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. Produced by Ben Schwalb and directed by Edward Bernds, it stars Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eric Fleming, and Laurie Mitchell. The screenplay by C ...

'' from an outline by

Ben Hecht Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...

, deliberately writing the screenplay as a parody. According to Beaumont, the directorial style is not informed by his satiric intent. He penned one episode of the TV show ''

Steve Canyon ''Steve Canyon'' is an American adventure comic strip by writer-artist Milton Caniff. Launched shortly after Caniff retired from his previous strip, '' Terry and the Pirates'', ''Steve Canyon'' ran from January 13, 1947, until June 4, 1988. It ...

'', titled "Operation B-52", in which Canyon and his crew attempt to set a speed record in a B-52 accompanied by a newsman who hates Air Force pilots. Beaumont was much admired by his colleagues (

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...

Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – 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 ficti ...

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

). Many of his stories have been re-released in the posthumous volumes ''Best of Beaumont'' (Bantam, 1982) and ''The Howling Man'' (Tom Doherty, 1992), and a set of previously unpublished tales, ''A Touch of the Creature'' (Subterranean Press, 1999). In 2004,

Gauntlet Press Gauntlet or the gauntlet may refer to: Common uses *Gauntlet (glove), protective gloves used as a form of armor *Running the gauntlet, a form of physical punishment Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Gauntlet (comics), a Marvel ...

released the first of two volumes collecting Beaumont's ''Twilight Zone'' scripts. A book-length biography of Beaumont, titled ''Trapped in the Twilight Zone: The Life and Times of Charles Beaumont'', by Roger Anker, is due to be published by Centipede Press in mid-2023.

Illness and death

In 1963, when Beaumont was 34 and overwhelmed by numerous writing commitments, he began to suffer the effects of "a mysterious brain disease" which seemed to age him rapidly. His ability to speak, concentrate, and remember became erratic. While some people attributed all of this to Beaumont's heavy drinking, his friend and colleague John Tomerlin disagreed: "I was working closely with Chuck at the time, and we were good enough friends for me to know that alcohol by itself could not possibly account for the odd mental state that he was in." "He was rarely well," his friend and colleague William F. Nolan later recalled. "He was thin, and kept having headaches. He used

Bromo-Seltzer Bromo-Seltzer was a brand of antacid formulated to relieve pain occurring together with heartburn, upset stomach, or acid indigestion. It originally contained sodium bromide and acetanilide, both toxic substances which were eventually removed ...

like most people use water. He had a big Bromo bottle with him all the time". The disease also affected his work. "He could barely sell stories, much less write. He would go unshaven to meetings with producers, which would end in disaster. script writer hasgot to be able to think on your feet, which Chuck couldn't do anymore; and so the producers would just go, 'We're sorry, Mr. Beaumont, but we don't like the script'." The condition might have been related to the

spinal meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or a ...

he suffered as a child. His friend and early agent Forrest J. Ackerman has asserted an alternative, that Beaumont suffered simultaneously from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

and

Pick's disease Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), or frontotemporal degeneration disease, or frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder, encompasses several types of dementia involving the progressive degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes. FTDs broadly present as ...

. This claim was supported by the UCLA Medical Staff, who subjected Beaumont to a battery of tests in the summer of 1964 that indicated that it might be either Alzheimer's or Pick's. Nolan recalls that the UCLA doctors sent Beaumont home with a death sentence: "They said 'There's absolutely no treatment for this disease. It's permanent and it's terminal. He'll probably live from six months to three years with it. He'll decline and get to where he can't stand up. He won't feel any pain. In fact, he won't even know this is happening'." In Nolan's own words: "Like his character ' Walter Jameson,' Chuck just dusted away". Several fellow writers, including Nolan and friend

Jerry Sohl Gerald Allan Sohl Sr. (December 2, 1913 – November 4, 2002) was an American television scriptwriter and science fiction author who wrote for ''The Twilight Zone'' (as a ghostwriter for Charles Beaumont), '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'', '' The Out ...

, began

ghostwriting A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...

for Beaumont during 1963–1964, so that he could meet his many writing obligations. Privately, he insisted on splitting these fees. By 1965, however, Beaumont was too ill to even create or sell story ideas. His last on-screen writing credit was for the 1965 film ''

Mister Moses ''Mister Moses'' is a 1965 American adventure film about a con man blackmailed into persuading an entire African village into relocating for their own safety. It was directed by Ronald Neame and stars Robert Mitchum and Carroll Baker. The film wa ...

'', officially a screenplay written with (but more likely written by)

Monja Danischewsky Monja Danischewsky (28 April 1911 – 16 October 1994) was a British producer and writer, born in Archangel into a Russian-Jewish family who left Russia for England in 1919 and who produced and wrote the films '' Topkapi'' and ''Rockets Galor ...

. On February 21, 1967, Beaumont died in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 38. His son Christopher later said that his father, " ..ooked ninety-five and was, in fact, ninety-five by every calendar except the one on your watch".

Bibliography

''Twilight Zone'' credits

The following is a list of episodes Beaumont penned for ''The Twilight Zone'' (an asterisk indicates that the episode was credited to Beaumont, but ghostwritten by

). *" Perchance to Dream" *"

Elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lament for the dead. However, according to ''The Oxford Handbook of the Elegy'', "for all of its pervasiveness ... the 'elegy' remains remarkably ill defined: sometime ...

" *" Long Live Walter Jameson" *" A Nice Place to Visit" *"

" *"

" (story by OCee Ritch) *"

The Prime Mover "The Prime Mover" is episode 57 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on March 24, 1961 on CBS. Opening narration Plot Small-time gambler Ace Larsen discovers that his partner, Jimbo Cobb, has ...

" (story by

George Clayton Johnson George Clayton Johnson (July 10, 1929 – December 25, 2015) was an American science fiction writer, best known for co-writing with William F. Nolan the novel ''Logan's Run'', the basis for the MGM 1976 film. He was also known for his televis ...

) *"

Long Distance Call "Long Distance Call" is episode 58 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on March 31, 1961, on CBS. In the episode, a 5-year-old boy named Billy communicates with his dead grandmother using a toy t ...

" (co-written with

Bill Idelson Bill Idelson (August 21, 1919 – December 31, 2007) was an actor, writer, director and producer widely known for his teenage role as Rush Gook on the radio comedy ''Vic and Sade'' and his recurring television role as Herman Glimscher on ''The ...

) *"

Shadow Play Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry, is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated cut-out figures (shadow puppets) which are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. The cut-ou ...

" *"

The Jungle ''The Jungle'' is a 1906 novel by the American journalist and novelist Upton Sinclair. Sinclair's primary purpose in describing the meat industry and its working conditions was to advance socialism in the United States. However, most readers wer ...

" *" Dead Man's Shoes" (story only; ghostwritten by OCee Ritch) *" The Fugitive" *"

Person or Persons Unknown "Person or Persons Unknown" is episode 92 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. Opening narration Plot David Gurney wakes up from a night of wild partying to find that nobody recognizes him, and all evidence of his ...

" *" In His Image" *"

" *"

The New Exhibit "The New Exhibit" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series), The Twilight Zone''. In this episode a museum worker (played by Martin Balsam) takes a set of wax figures into his home, where they b ...

" * *"

Passage on the Lady Anne "Passage on the Lady Anne" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode, a couple whose marriage is struggling travel aboard an aging ocean liner, unaware that the ship is on a final voyage into ...

" *" Living Doll" * *"

" (co-written with John Tomerlin) *" Queen of the Nile" *

Short stories

*"The Devil, You Say?" (Jan 1951, ''Amazing Stories'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"The Beautiful People" (Sep 1952, ''If'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"Fritzchen" (1953, ''Orbit #1'') *"Place of Meeting" (1953, ''Orbit #2'') *"Elegy" (Feb 1953, ''Imagination'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"The Last Caper" (Mar 1954, ''F&SF'') *"Keeper of the Dream" (1954, ''Time to Come'') *"Mass for Mixed Voices" (May 1954, ''Science Fiction Quarterly'') *"Hair of the Dog" (Jul 1954, ''Orbit #3'') *"The Quadriopticon" (Aug 1954, ''F&SF'') *"Black Country" (Sep 1954, ''Playboy'') *"The Jungle" (Dec 1954, ''If'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"The Murderers" (Feb 1955, ''Esquire'') *"The Hunger" (Apr 1955, ''Playboy'') *"The Last Word" (with Chad Oliver, Apr 1955, ''F&SF'') *"Free Dirt" (May 1955, ''F&SF'') *"The New Sound" (Jun 1955, ''F&SF'') *"The Crooked Man" (Aug 1955, ''Playboy'') *"The Vanishing American" (Aug 1955, ''F&SF'') *"Last Rites" (Oct 1955, ''If'') *"A Point of Honor" / "I'll Do Anything" (Nov 1955, ''Manhunt'') *"A Classic Affair" (Dec 1955, ''Playboy'') *"Traumerei" (Feb 1956, ''Infinity Science Fiction'') *"The Monster Show" (May 1956, ''Playboy'') *"The Guests of Chance" (with Chad Oliver, Jun 1956, ''Infinity Science Fiction'') *"You Can't Have Them All" (Aug 1956, ''Playboy'') *"Last Night in the Rain" / "Sin Tower" (Oct 1956, ''Nugget'') *"The Dark Music" (Dec 1956, ''Playboy'') *"Oh Father of Mine" / "Father, Dear Father" (Jan 1957, ''Venture'') *"The Love-Master" (Feb 1957, ''Rogue'') *"The Man Who Made Himself" / "In His Image" (Feb 1957, ''Imagination'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"Night Ride" (Mar 1957, ''Playboy'') *"The Customers" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"Fair Lady" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"The Infernal Bouillabaisse" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"Miss Gentilbelle" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"Nursery Rhyme" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"Open House" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"Tears of the Madonna" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"The Train" (Apr 1957, ''The Hunger and Other Stories'') *"A Death in the Country" / "The Deadly Will Win" (Nov 1957, ''Playboy'') *"Anthem" (Apr 1958, ''Yonder'') *"Mother's Day" (Apr 1958, ''Yonder'') *"A World of Differents" (Apr 1958, ''Yonder'') *"The New People" (Aug 1958, ''Rogue'') *"Perchance to Dream" (Oct 1958, ''Playboy'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"The Intruder" (1959, excerpt of chapter ten of the novel) *"The Music of the Yellow Brass" (Jan 1959, ''Playboy'') *"The Trigger" (Jan 1959, ''Mystery Digest'') *"Sorcerer's Moon" (Jul 1959, ''Playboy'') *"The Howling Man" (Nov 1959, ''Rogue'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"Buck Fever" (Mar 1960, ''Night Ride and Other Journeys'') *"The Magic Man" (Mar 1960, ''Night Ride and Other Journeys'') *"The Neighbors" (Mar 1960, ''Night Ride and Other Journeys'') *"Song For a Lady" (Mar 1960, ''Night Ride and Other Journeys'', adapted for Twilight Zone) *"Gentlemen, Be Seated" (Apr 1960, ''Rogue'', adapted for

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

as a radio drama) *"Three Thirds of a Ghost" / "The Baron's Secret" (Aug 1960, ''Nugget'') *"Blood Brother" (Apr 1961, ''Playboy'') *"Mourning Song" (1963, ''Gamma #1'') *"Something in the Earth" (1963, ''Gamma #2'') *"Auto Suggestion" (1965, ''Gamma #5'') *"Insomnia Vobiscum" (1982, ''Best of Beaumont'') *"My Grandmother's Japonicas" (1984, ''Masques #1'') *"Appointment with Eddie" (1987, ''The Howling Man'') *"The Carnival" (1987, ''The Howling Man'') *"The Crime of Willie Washington" (1987, ''The Howling Man'') *"The Man with the Crooked Nose" (1987, ''The Howling Man'') *"To Hell with Claude" (with Chad Oliver, 1987, ''The Howling Man'') *"The Wages of Cynicism" (1999) *"Adam's Off Ox" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Fallen Star" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"A Friend of the Family" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"The Indian Piper" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"The Junemoon Spoon" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Lachrymosa" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"A Long Way from Capri" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Moon in Gemini" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Mr. Underhill" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"The Pool" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Resurrection Island" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"The Rival" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"Time and Again" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"With the Family" (2000, ''A Touch of the Creature'') *"I, Claude" (with Chad Oliver) *"The Rest of Science Fiction" (with Chad Oliver)

Short story collections

Collections published during Beaumont's lifetime

*''

The Hunger and Other Stories ''The Hunger and Other Stories'' is the first collection of short stories by American writer Charles Beaumont, published in April 1957. A British edition was published in 1964 under the title ''Shadow Play''. In 2013 Valancourt Books released the ...

'' (Apr 1957; UK title ''Shadow Play'') *'' Yonder'' (Apr 1958) *'' Night Ride and Other Journeys'' (Mar 1960) *''The Magic Man'' (1965) (containing nine stories from ''The Hunger'', three from ''Yonder'' and six from ''Night Ride'') *''The Edge'' (1966) (containing three stories from ''Yonder'' and eight from ''Night Ride'')

Collections published posthumously

*''Best of Beaumont'' (Nov 1982) (featuring selected from previous collections and four not previously collected) *''Selected Stories'' (1988) (reprinted as ''The Howling Man'', 1992) (featuring stories from previous collection and eight previously uncollected stories)'' *''A Touch of the Creature'' (2000) (fourteen previously unpublished/unfinished stories) *''Mass for Mixed Voices'' (2013) (expanded version of ''Selected Stories'' with two previously unpublished stories Life of the Party" and "The Child" a new introduction, and three new story prefaces) *''Perchance to Dream'' (2015) *''The Carnival and Other Stories'' (2022)

Film

*''Tradita'' (1954) *''

'' (1958) *''Ursula'' (1961, based on Beaumont's short story "Miss Gentilbelle") *''

Night of the Eagle ''Night of the Eagle'' is a 1962 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers. The script by Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson and George Baxt was based upon the 1943 Fritz Leiber novel ''Conjure Wife''. The film was retitled ''Burn, Witch, ...

'' (1962) U.S. title ''Burn, Witch, Burn!'' (screenplay co-written with

and

George Baxt George Baxt (June 11, 1923 – June 28, 2003) was an American screenwriter and author of crime fiction, best remembered for creating the gay black detective, Pharaoh Love. Four of his novels were finalists for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Myst ...

based on ''

Conjure Wife ''Conjure Wife'' (1943) is a supernatural horror novel by American writer Fritz Leiber. Its premise is that witchcraft flourishes as an open secret among women. The story is told from the point of view of a small-town college professor who disco ...

'' by

Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright, and chess expert. With writers such as Robert ...

) *''

Premature Burial Premature burial, also known as live burial, burial alive, or vivisepulture, means to be buried while still alive. Animals or humans may be buried alive accidentally on the mistaken assumption that they are dead, or intentionally as a form of t ...

'' (1962) (based on "

The Premature Burial "The Premature Burial" is a horror short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1844 in ''The Philadelphia Dollar Newspaper''. Its main character expresses concern about being buried alive. This fear was common in this period and ...

" by

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

) *''

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm ''The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm'' is a 1962 American fantasy film directed by Henry Levin and George Pal. The latter was the producer and also in charge of the stop motion animation. The film was one of the highest-grossing films of ...

'' (1962) *'' The Intruder'' (1962, based on Beaumont's novel) *''

The Haunted Palace ''The Haunted Palace'' is a 1963 horror film released by American International Pictures, starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr. and Debra Paget (in her final film), in a story about a village held in the grip of a dead necromancer. The film wa ...

'' (1963) (based on the

poem Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...

of the same name and by the short novel ''

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward ''The Case of Charles Dexter Ward'' is a short horror novel (51,500 words) by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in early 1927, but not published during the author's lifetime. Set in Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, it w ...

'' by H.P. Lovecraft) *''

'' (1964) (based on the short novel ''

The Circus of Dr. Lao ''The Circus of Dr. Lao'' (1935) is a novel written by the American newspaperman and writer Charles G. Finney. It won one of the inaugural National Book Awards: the Most Original Book of 1935. "Books and Authors", ''The New York Times'', 1936-0 ...

'' by Charles G. Finney) *''

'' (1964) (based on

eponymous An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

short story by

) *''Mister Moses'' (1965) *''Journey Into Darkness'' (1968, based on Beaumont's short story "The New People") *''

Brain Dead Brain death is the permanent, irreversible, and complete loss of brain function which may include cessation of involuntary activity necessary to sustain life. It differs from persistent vegetative state, in which the person is alive and some aut ...

'' (1990) (produced posthumously, from his screenplay) *''Miss Gentilbelle'' (2000)

Novel

*''Run from the Hunter'' (1957, as Keith Grantland, co-authored by John Tomerlin) *''The Intruder'' (1959)

Nonfiction

*''Remember? Remember?'' (1956, essays on American pop culture between the world wars) *''Omnibus of Speed: An Introduction to the World of Motorsport'' (1958, with William F. Nolan)

Comics

*Li'l Bad Wolf (untitled story) ''Walt Disney's Comics and Stories'' #170 (1954) *"A Soft Life" ''Woody Woodpecker'' #29 (1955) *"Why Birds Leave Home" ''Tweety and Sylvester'' #8 (1955) *"The Mystery of Whalers' Cove" ''Mickey Mouse'' #43 (1955) *"The Adventure of the Silver Parrot" ''Mickey Mouse'' #45 (1955/56) *"The Mardi Gras Mystery" ''Mickey Mouse'' #46 (1956) *"The Mystery of Diamond Mountain" ''Mickey Mouse'' #47 (1956) *"The Mammoth Adventure" ''Mickey Mouse'' #48 (1956) *"The Case of the Vanishing Bandit" ''Mickey Mouse'' #48 (1956) *"The Giant Pearls of Agoo Island" ''Mickey Mouse'' #49 (1956) *"Trouble Cooking" ''Mickey Mouse'' #51 (1956-7)

Note

Beaumont co-wrote the stories with William F. Nolan.

References

External links

Bibliographical information
* * * *

''Fortnight'' May 1955
George Clayton Johnson interview
in the Archive of American Television * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beaumont, Charles 1929 births 1967 deaths 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American male writers American fantasy writers American horror writers American male novelists American science fiction writers Writers from California Writers from Chicago Deaths from dementia in California Deaths from Alzheimer's disease Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery American male short story writers Writers of Gothic fiction 20th-century American short story writers Novelists from Illinois Weird fiction writers

Life and work

Illness and death

Bibliography

''Twilight Zone'' credits

Short stories

Short story collections

Collections published during Beaumont's lifetime

Collections published posthumously

Film

Novel

Nonfiction

Comics

Note

References

Further reading

External links