James Warner Bellah (September 14, 1899 – September 22, 1976) was an American Western author from the 1930s to the 1950s. His pulp-fiction writings on

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

and Indians were published in paperbacks or serialized in the ''

Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

''. Bellah was the author of 19 novels, including '' The Valiant Virginian'' (the inspiration for the 1961 NBC television series '' ''The Americans''), and ''

Blood River Blood River ( af, Bloedrivier; zu, Ncome) is situated in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This river has its sources in the hills south-east of Utrecht; leaving the highlands it is joined by two important tributaries that originate in the Schurvebe ...

''. Some of his short stories were turned into films by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

, including '' Fort Apache'', ''

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' is a 1949 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. It is the second film in Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy", along with '' Fort Apache'' (1948) and ''Rio Grande'' (1950). With a budg ...

'', and ''

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

''. With

Willis Goldbeck Willis Goldbeck (October 24, 1898 – September 17, 1979) was an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He wrote for 40 films between 1923 and 1962. He also directed ten films between 1942 and 1951. Willis graduated from Worcest ...

he wrote the screenplays for ''

Sergeant Rutledge ''Sergeant Rutledge'' is a 1960 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Woody Strode and Billie Burke. Six decades later, the film continues to attract attention because it was one ...

'' (1960) and ''

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ''The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' () is a 1962 American Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and James Stewart. The screenplay by James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck was adapted from a 1953 short story written by ...

'' (1962).

Biography

Bellah earned his B.A. from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

and M.A. in history from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

. In

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Bellah enlisted in the Canadian Army, and served as a pilot in the 117th Squadron of Great Britain's

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

. These experiences formed the basis of his 1928 novel ''Gods of Yesterday.'' For several years after the war, he was a writer for

advertising firm An advertising agency, often referred to as a creative agency or an ad agency, is a business dedicated to creating, planning, and handling advertising and sometimes other forms of promotion and marketing for its clients. An ad agency is generally ...

s and instructor in English at Columbia. In the 1930s he worked as a journalist for the ''

New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established ...

''. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Bellah served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

, starting as a lieutenant in the 16th Infantry, was detailed to the General Staff Corps before Pearl Harbor, and was later assigned to Headquarters 1st Infantry Division, later with the 80th Infantry Division. Later he served on the staff of Admiral Lord

Louis Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...

in Southeast Asia. He was attached to General

Wingate Wingate may refer to: Places New Zealand * Wingate, New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Hutt United Kingdom * Wingate, County Durham * Wingate Quarry, a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham * Old Wingate, County Durham * Wingates ...

Chindits The Chindits, officially as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British and Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of World War II. The British Army Brigadier Orde Wingate form ...

in combat in Burma, and to General Stillwell and to Colonel Cochran's

1st Air Commando Group 001, O01, or OO1 may refer to: *1 (number), a number, a numeral *001, fictional British agent, see 00 Agent *001, former emergency telephone number for the Norwegian fire brigade (until 1986) *AM-RB 001, the code-name for the Aston Martin Valkyrie ...

. He left the service with the rank of Colonel. He was a member of the

Society of Colonial Wars The Society of Colonial Wars is a hereditary society composed of men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense, ...

in the State of California beginning in 1952. His short story "Spanish Man's Grave" is considered by some to be one of the finest American Western stories ever written. His last script was ''

A Thunder of Drums ''A Thunder of Drums'' is a 1961 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Joseph Newman and starring Richard Boone, George Hamilton, Luana Patten and Arthur O'Connell. The screenwriter James Warner Bellah adapted it from his 1946 short s ...

''. Bellah's depiction of the Apache is protested by some and lauded as realistic by others. In the early stages of his career,

Elmore Leonard Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thri ...

modelled his style closely after Bellah's writing. He died of a heart attack in Los Angeles during a visit to his friend James Francis, Cardinal McIntyre, Archbishop of Los Angeles. His manuscripts are stored at

and

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...

Novels

* These Frantic Years, New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1927 * The Sons of Cain, New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1928 * The Gods of Yesterday, New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1928 * Dancing Lady, New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1932 * White Piracy, New York: Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., 1933 * The Brass Gong Tree, New York: Appleton-Century Co., 1936 * This is the Town, New York: Appleton-Century Co., 1937 * 7 Must Die, New York: Appleton-Century Co., 1938 * The Bones of Napoleon, New York: Appleton-Century Co., 1940 * Ward Twenty: a Realistic Novel, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1946 * Rear Guard, Popular Library (New York, NY), 1950 (First published as The White Invader, in ''The Saturday Evening Post''; the basis of the 1954 film '' The Command''). * The Apache, New York: Gold Medal Books, 1951 (First published as The Apache Curse in ''The Saturday Evening Post''). * Divorce, New York: Popular Library Books, 1952 (A shorter version first published in April 1939 in ''Cosmopolitan'' as You Marry Once!) * Ordeal at Blood River, New York: Ballantine Books, 1959 (First published in ''The Saturday Evening Post'').

Novelizations

* Sergeant Rutledge, New York, Bantam Books, 1960, based on a screenplay by Bellah and Willis Goldbeck. * The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, New York, Pocket Books, 1962 based on a screenplay by Bellah and Willis Goldbeck and the original story by

Dorothy M. Johnson Dorothy Marie Johnson (December 19, 1905 – November 11, 1984) was an American writer best known for her Western fiction. Biography Early life Dorothy Marie Johnson was born in McGregor, Iowa, the only daughter of Lester Eugene Johnson and Ma ...

�. * Thunder of Drums, New York, Bantam Books, 1961, based on a screenplay by Bellah.

Fort Starke, Civil War and Other Military Stories

Fort Starke Stories Collected in Reveille published by Fawcett Gold Medal in 1962 and Massacre published by Lion 1950: * Command, The Saturday Evening Post June 8, 1946 (Basis for A Thunder of Drums) * By the Beard of Saint Crispin, The Saturday Evening Post August 3, 1946 * West of the Paradise, The Saturday Evening Post September 7, 1946 * Massacre, The Saturday Evening Post February 22, 1947 (basis for '' Fort Apache'') * Spanish Man's Grave, The Saturday Evening Post May 3, 1947 * The Devil at Crazy Man, The Saturday Evening Post June 21, 1947 * Mission with No Record, The Saturday Evening Post September 27, 1947 (Basis for Rio Grande) * Lash of Fear, The Saturday Evening Post November 8, 1947 * Big Hunt, The Saturday Evening Post December 6, 1947 (Basis for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon) * The Last Fight, The Saturday Evening Post October 16, 1948 * Stage for Elkhorn, The Saturday Evening Post November 20, 1948 Collected only in Massacre: * War Party, The Saturday Evening Post June 19, 1948 (Basis for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon) Flint Cohill also appears in Ordeal on Blood River, Bellah's final serial for The Saturday Evening Post published Oct 17, Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 7, & November 14, 1959, and published in paperback by Ballantine in 1959. Civil War Stories: * Tales of the Valorous Virginians—First Blood at Harper’s Ferry, The Saturday Evening Post May 9, 1953 * Tales of the Valorous Virginians: Stuart’s Charge at Bull Run, The Saturday Evening Post May 16, 1953 * Tales of the Valorous Virginians: Slaughter at Ball's Bluff, The Saturday Evening Post May 23, 1953 * Tales of the Valorous Virginians: Jackson Got Licked at Kernstown, The Saturday Evening Post May 30, 1953 * Tales of the Valorous Virginians— How Stonewall Came Back, The Saturday Evening Post June 6, 1953; Tales of the Valorous Virginians. * Tales of the Valorous Virginians: The Secret of the Seven Days, The Saturday Evening Post June 13, 1953 Collected in The Valiant Virginians published by Ballantine in 1953. Other Military Stories collected in Fighting Man. USA * Spanish Man's Grave – The Saturday Evening Post, May 3, 1947 * Day of Terror – The Saturday Evening Post, November 17, 1956 * While the General Slept – The American Magazine Mar 1939 * The Heart of Guinevere – The Saturday Evening Post, December 14, 1935 * Fear – The Saturday Evening Post November 6, 1926—Bellah's debut in that publication. * Pirate of Nantucket – The Saturday Evening Post, June 27, 1942 * Death of an Admiral – Cosmopolitan July 1961 * Soldier's Boy – The Saturday Evening Post, November 23, 1957 Collected in There Will Be War (Jerry Pournelle, ed.) published by Tor in 1986: * Spanish Man's Grave – The Saturday Evening Post, May 3, 1947 This was the only non-science fiction story in this anthology about future war.

Screenplays

* ''

This is Korea ''This Is Korea'' is a 1951 American documentary film about the Korean War. It was directed by John Ford with a screenplay by James Warner Bellah. It was released theatrically by Republic Pictures. Plot The film features the exploits of US ar ...

'' (1951) * ''

Ten Tall Men ''Ten Tall Men'' is a 1951 American adventure film starring Burt Lancaster about the French Foreign Legion during the Rif War in Morocco. Though co-written and directed by Willis Goldbeck, Goldbeck walked off the film due to disputes with Lancaste ...

'' (1951) * ''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on th ...

'' (1955) * ''

Target Zero ''Target Zero'' is a 1955 American war and drama film directed by Harmon Jones and written by James Warner Bellah and Sam Rolfe.The film stars Richard Conte, Peggie Castle, Charles Bronson, Richard Wyler, L. Q. Jones and Chuck Connors. The film w ...

'' (1955) * ''Command'' (1958 television pilot) * ''

'' (1960) * ''

'' (1961) * ''

X-15 The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft. It was operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed ...

'' (1961) * ''

'' (1962)

References

* * "Register of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of California – 2008" James C. McHarge, editor * Bibliography of works by James Warner Bellah is available at http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/misc/Bellah.htm

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bellah, James Warner 1899 births 1976 deaths American male screenwriters Pulp fiction writers Canadian soldiers United States Army officers New York Post people Western (genre) writers Screenwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters Royal Flying Corps soldiers Royal Air Force officers British Army personnel of World War I Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Columbia College (New York) alumni Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni Columbia University faculty