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Manly Wade Wellman (May 21, 1903 – April 5, 1986) was an American writer. While his
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
and
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
stories appeared in such pulps as '' Astounding Stories'', '' Startling Stories'', ''
Unknown Unknown or The Unknown may refer to: Film and television Film * The Unknown (1915 comedy film), ''The Unknown'' (1915 comedy film), Australian silent film * The Unknown (1915 drama film), ''The Unknown'' (1915 drama film), American silent drama ...
'' and '' Strange Stories'', Wellman is best remembered as one of the most popular contributors to the legendary '' Weird Tales'' and for his fantasy and horror stories set in the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
, which draw on the native folklore of that region. Karl Edward Wagner referred to him as "the dean of fantasy writers." Wellman also wrote in a wide variety of other genres, including
historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the Setting (narrative), setting of particular real past events, historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literatur ...
,
detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an criminal investigation, investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around ...
, western fiction, juvenile fiction, and
non-fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
. Wellman was a long-time resident of
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. Schweitzer, Darrell. "Wellman, Manly Wade", in ''St. James Guide To Fantasy Writers'', ed. David Pringle, London, St. James Press, 1996, , (p. 596-98). He received many awards, including the World Fantasy Award and Edgar Allan Poe Award. In 2013, the North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation inaugurated an award named after him to honor other North Carolina authors of science fiction and fantasy. Three of Wellman's most famous recurring protagonists are John, a.k.a. John the Balladeer, a.k.a. "Silver John", a wandering backwoods minstrel with a silver-stringed guitar; the elderly " occult detective" Judge Pursuivant; and John Thunstone, also an occult investigator. Wellman wrote under a number of pseudonyms, including Gabriel Barclay, Levi Crow, Gans T. Field, Hampton Wells, and Wade Wells.


Biography


Early years

Wellman was born in the village of Kamundongo, near the city of Silva Porto in Portuguese West Africa (now
Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
). Wellman's father, Frederick Creighton Wellman, was stationed in the village as a medical officer. He spoke a local language before he learned English, and became an adopted son of a powerful chief whose vision Dr Wellman restored. As a small child, Manly twice visited London, where the family stayed in Torrington Square (obliterated during the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...
). When he was still a young boy, his family moved to the United States, where he attended school in Washington, D.C., and prep school in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
. After graduating from Fairmount College (now Wichita State University in
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
) with a BA in English in 1926, he received a Bachelor of Literature degree from the School of Journalism at
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
in 1927. A distinguished football player, he received little encouragement from either family or teachers for his plans to become a writer. An early story, "Back to the Beast", resulted in one teacher remarking "Your work is impossible!" Yet this same story became his first professional sale when editor Farnsworth Wright bought it and published it in '' Weird Tales'' (November 1927). He was of partial Native American ancestry. According to the author note by Gahan Wilson in Gahan Wilson, ed. ''First World Fantasy Awards'' (NY: Doubleday, 1977, p. 253), Wellman's "ancestry reaches back through the Confederate South to colonial Virginia, with the potent infusion of Gascon French and American Indian." One of Wellman's brothers, Paul Wellman, was also a well published author; another, Frederick Lovejoy Wellman, was a noted plant pathologist.


The 1920s and 1930s

His first published story, "When the Lion Roared" (''Thrilling Tales'', May 1927), was based on the stories told to him in his African childhood upbringing. Wellman's first science fiction novel, ''The Invading Asteroid'', was published in 1929 but he would not work at full length again until 1941. Around that time he started a friendship with Vance Randolph, an acclaimed folklorist and expert on Ozark mountain magic and traditions. Randolf took Wellman on trips through the Arkansas
Ozarks The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover ...
, learning folk traditions and meeting the secluded people of the American back country. It was through Randolph that Wellman met North Carolinian folk music legend Obray Ramsey, whose music would have a profound effect on Wellman and his writing. In the late 1920s, during the silent film era, Wellman wrote movie reviews for the ''Wichita Beacon'' and also worked for ''The Wichita Eagle'' as a court and crime reporter. He sold many stories in this period to ''Ozark Stories'' and ''Thrilling Tales''. He married Frances Obrist on June 14, 1930. Writing under the pen name "Garfield", she became a horror writer in her own right when she sold her first story to ''Weird Tales'' in 1939. During the Depression, Wellman's newspaper work started to dwindle, so in 1934 he moved from Kansas to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
where he became assistant director of the WPA's New York Folklore Project. Alfred Bester described meeting Wellman in about 1939: "
Mort Weisinger Mortimer Weisinger (; April 25, 1915 – May 7, 1978) was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' ''Superman'' during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books. He also co-created such features ...
introduced me to the informal luncheon gatherings of the working science fiction authors of the late thirties... The vivacious ''compère'' of those luncheons was Manley icWade Wellman, a professional Southerner full of regional anecdotes. It's my recollection that one of his hands was slightly shriveled, which may have been why he came on so strong for the Confederate cause. We were all very patient with that; after all, our side won the war. Wellman was quite the man-of-the-world for the innocent thirties; he always ordered wine with his lunch." Moving from New York to New Jersey in 1939, Wellman wrote countless stories for the new field of comic books as well as for the pulps. During the war he served in New Jersey as a first lieutenant.


The 1940s: New York, ''Weird Tales'', occult detectives and comic books

In the 1930s and 1940s, Wellman began selling to the bigger publications such as ''Weird Tales'', ''Wonder Stories'' and ''Astounding Stories''. At this time, when Wellman was living in New York, ''Weird Tales'' published numerous stories based on three of his most famous characters: Judge Pursuivant, John Thunstone, and Professor Nathan Enderby. Judge Keith Hilary Pursuivant (written under the pen name Gans T. Fields) is described as "a renowned scholar and retired judge, hero of World War I, and now hero of darker, more dangerous battles. Huge of frame, an epicure, an authority on the occult, Pursuivant strides forth from his reclusive home in West Virginia to confront evil wherever it appears."Jacket flap, Manly Wade Wellman, ''Lonely Vigils'', Carcosa, 1981 John Thunstone is "a hulking Manhattanite playboy and dilettante, a serious student of the occult and a two-fisted brawler ready to take on any enemy. Armed with potent charms and a silver swordcane, Thunstone stalks supernatural perils in the posh night clubs and seedy hotels of New York, or in backwater towns lost in the countryside-- seeking out deadly sorcery as a hunter pursues a man-killer beast." Thunstone's arch-nemesis was the evil sorcerer Rowley Thorne. Thorne was based on the real-life occultist
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
, the self-proclaimed "wickedest man in the world". The lesser-known character Professor Nathan Enderby is a "slender savant and unassuming authority on the supernatural, aided by his sharp wits and his Chinese servant, Quong. His cabin in rural Pennsylvania is a retreat from the frenetic social life of New York City – and a fortress against the powers of black magic." While the
Edmond Hamilton Edmond Moore Hamilton (October 21, 1904 – February 1, 1977) was an American writer of science fiction during the mid-twentieth century. He is known for writing most of the Captain Future stories. Early life Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he ...
-led pulp '' Captain Future'' was a going concern, Wellman wrote one novel for it, ''The Solar Invasion''. When ''Captain Future'' was cancelled due to wartime paper shortages, the novel was instead published in '' Startling Stories'' (fall of 1946). Following a similar path to such pulp writers as Frank Belknap Long, Wellman also wrote for various comic books (what he called "squinkies") and wrote the first issue of ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' for Fawcett Publishers. Later he would be called into court to testify against Fawcett in a lawsuit by
National Comics Publications National Comics Publications (NCP; later known as National Periodical Publications Inc. or simply National) was an American comic book publishing company. It was the direct predecessor of modern-day DC Comics. History The corporation was origin ...
(later DC Comics) about plagiarism of
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
by the creators of Captain Marvel. Wellman testified that his editors had encouraged their writers to use Superman as the model for Captain Marvel. Though it took three years, National won their case. He also contributed to the writing of the comic book '' The Spirit'' while the franchise's creator, Will Eisner, was serving in the US military during World War II. Wellman also wrote for the comic '' Blackhawk''. Wellman made a return to novel-writing in the 1940s, publishing two full-length science fiction works, ''Sojarr of Titan'' and ''The Devil's Asteroid''. In this decade he published several mystery novels, one a film tie-in. Amongst Wellman's writer friends during the ''Weird Tales'' years were Malcolm Jameson, Seabury Quinn, Henry Kuttner, and Otto Binder. Wellman used to meet with these writers in a German restaurant in Times Square on a regular basis. He described these friendships as being "like a brotherhood".Stephen Jones, "Better Things Waiting: An Interview with Manly Wade Wellman", ''Fantasy Media'', 2, No 2 (May/June 1980), pp. 14–16 In 1946 Wellman won the
Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1928 by the American detective fiction writers Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred Bennington Lee (1905–1971). It is also the name of their main fictional detective, a mystery writer in New York City ...
Mystery Magazine Award over
William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer. He is best known for William Faulkner bibliography, his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, a stand-in fo ...
for his Native American detective tale "A Star for a Warrior". Apparently Faulkner was quite upset to be second fiddle to a science fiction and horror writer. Faulkner indignantly wrote to the editors of the magazine, proclaiming that he was the father of the French literary movement and the most important American writer in Europe. Wellman's 1956 nonfiction historical work ''Rebel Boast'' was nominated for the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
. Throughout this period Wellman worked as a harvest hand, cowboy, roadhouse bouncer and newspaperman.


The 1950s: North Carolina, juveniles, science fiction and non-fiction

After serving as a lieutenant in World War II, in 1951 Wellman moved his family to Pinebluff, North Carolina. There he immersed himself in American southern mountain folklore and history, becoming an expert on the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
and the historic regions and peoples of the Old South. Later in 1951, he made his final move to the college town of
Chapel Hill, North Carolina Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, Orange and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties, North Carolina, United States. Its population was 61,960 in the 2020 United States census, making Chapel Hill the List of municipa ...
. Wellman built a vacation cabin on what he called Yandro Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains next to his friend Obray Ramsey's home. Wellman worked at many jobs to support himself while he wrote, though he sold many stories and books. His jobs included working on farms, in cotton gins, and working as a bouncer in a dance hall. During this time, Wellman wrote a number of books that are considered regional classics today. Such books, drawn from his rich knowledge of Southern history, include the critically acclaimed account of the great steamboat race between the ''Robert E. Lee'' and the ''Natchez''. Wellman's best-known biographical work, ''Giant in Gray'' (1949), was based on his namesake, Confederate General Wade Hampton. Wellman wrote and published significant nonfiction works about the Old South, including county histories, throughout the 1950s and would continue to do so through to the 1970s. Most of Wellman's work in the 1950s was devoted to young adult stories and science fiction novels. He produced no fewer than five science fiction novels in this decade, though one was a version of a long story previously published in the pulps. Two of his short stories were filmed in this decade for the television show '' Lights Out''. He also wrote a western novel, ''Fort Sun Dance'' (1955), apparently his only venture into that genre.


The 1960s: science fiction and Silver John

Wellman wrote two science fiction novels in the sixties – ''Island in the Sky'' and also ''Candle of the Wicked'' (1960), which novelized the events leading up to the discovery of the Bender killings. His Captain Future novel ''The Solar Invasion'' was reprinted in paperback. His best-known series dates from this period; it is composed of stories featuring the Appalachian woodsman and minstrel hero known as "John". They were first published in '' The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction''. The first stories of John were collected in '' Who Fears the Devil?'' (1963), based on the personal enthusiasm of
August Derleth August William Derleth (February 24, 1909 – July 4, 1971) was an American writer and anthologist. He was the first book publisher of the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. He made contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos and the Lovecraftian horror, cosmi ...
. Although Wellman only ever called the character "John" or "John the guitar picker", his later publishers Doubleday and Dell labelled the series Silver John as they felt the name was a better way of marketing the books.


The 1970s and '80s: resurgence and twilight years

The 1970s and 1980s marked a resurgence in Wellman's output and an increased attention to his legacy. Much of his best short general fantasy work over the years was collected by Karl Edward Wagner in '' Worse Things Waiting'' (1973), which won Wellman a World Fantasy Award and revived interest in his work. His 1975 novel '' Sherlock Holmes' War of the Worlds'' was collected from a series of
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
pastiche stories co-written with his son Wade Wellman and originally published in '' The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'' Between 1979 and 1984 Wellman wrote five new novels featuring Silver John and in roughly the same period produced two full-length novels featuring his character John Thunstone, as well as seeing Thunstone's short adventures, and those of characters such as Judge Pursuivant, collected from the pulps in '' Lonely Vigils'' (1981). A movie based on the Silver John stories, ''The Legend of Hillbilly John'', was released in 1973. In 1980 Wellman received the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Wellman was Guest of Honour (with
Gene Wolfe Gene Rodman Wolfe (May 7, 1931 – April 14, 2019) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith. He was a prolific short story writer and no ...
and Rowena Merrill) at the World Fantasy Convention 1983 in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. At age 82, on June 15, 1985, Wellman suffered a serious fall and sustained severe fractures of his left elbow and shoulder which made him an invalid. A benefit auction for the ailing author was held in London at the annual Christmas Party of the British Fantasy Society and the funds raised sent to Wellman and his wife in a Christmas card. Due to the onset of gangrene in his legs following double amputation, Wellman's health failed further and he died at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on April 5, 1986. Before his death he had been able to finish his historical novel ''Cahena'' about a medieval African warrior princess (see Kahina), published in 1986, and the final John the Balladeer short story "Where Did She Wander?" The agent for his literary estate was his friend, the writer and editor Karl Edward Wagner, who edited the posthumous collections ''Valley So Low: Southern Mountain Stories'' and ''John the Balladeer''. A benefit auction was held for Wellman's widow Frances, arranged by Southern fans Beth Gwinn and Sheri Morton, which raised $28,300 in funds.
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 science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...
was the auctioneer. Included in the auction were such items as a mug owned by both H.P. Lovecraft and
Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Along with Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock, Leiber is one of the fathers of sword and sorcery. Life ...
, a coin from
Mel Brooks Melvin James Brooks (né Kaminsky; born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodie ...
and the shirt which Ellison wore while writing his story "Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes". Frances Wellman died on May 7, 2000. She was cremated and her ashes spread on the lawn of their home at Dogwood Acres in Chapel Hill, NC. A son, Wade Wellman, died January 25, 2018, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.


Works

Wellman once estimated his output of stories and articles at about 500, of which about 80 were in the fantasy and science fiction genres.


Science fiction and fantasy

* ''The Invading Asteroid'' (1929) * ''Sojarr of Titan'' (1941) * ''The Devil's Asteroid'' (1941) * "Find My Killer" (1948 – as Manly Wellman). * ''The Solar Invasion'' ( Captain Future novel, '' Startling Stories'' Fall/46; reprinted in paperback in 1968) * ''Devil's Planet'' (1951) * ''The Beasts from Beyond'' (1950) lso known as ''Strangers on the Heights''* ''Twice in Time'' (1957) * ''The Dark Destroyers'' (1959) [short version of ''Nuisance Value''
parts one
an
two
(1938/39)] * ''Giants from Eternity'' (1959) * ''Island in the Sky'' (1961) * '' Worse Things Waiting'' ( Carcosa,1973) (short story collection) (Winner, World Fantasy Award for Best Collection, 1975) * '' Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds'' ith Wade Wellman(1975) * ''The Beyonders'' (1977) * ''The Valley So Low: Southern Mountain Stories'' (1987) (Ed. Karl E. Wagner, collection) Note: Wellman originally intended ''Valley So Low'' to be the title of a sixth Silver John novel, but his intervening death prevented him writing it. The title was applied instead to this collection of short stories. * ''The Collected Stories of Manly Wade Wellman'': # ''The Third Cry to Legba and Other Invocations'' (2000) (John Thunstone and Lee Cobbett stories) # ''The Devil is Not Mocked and Other Warnings'' (2001) # ''Fearful Rock and Other Precarious Locales'' (2001) (Judge Pursuivant and Sergeant Jaeger stories) # ''Sin's Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances'' (2003) # ''Owls Hoot in the Daytime and Other Omens'' (2003) (John the Balladeer stories)


Silver John collections and novels

*'' Who Fears the Devil?'' (
Arkham House Arkham House was an American publishing house specializing in weird fiction. It was founded in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1939 by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei to publish hardcover collections of H. P. Lovecraft's best works, which had ...
, 1963) (short stories) **''John the Balladeer'' (1988) (Ed. Karl E. Wagner, revised collection containing all Silver John short stories) **''Owls Hoot In The Daytime And Other Omens'' (2003) (Ed. Night Shade Press, also contains all Silver John short stories) **''Who Fears the Devil?'' (Paizo Publishing, 2010) (reprint of AH edition with two additional stories) *''The Old Gods Waken'' (1979) *''After Dark '' (1980) *''The Lost and the Lurking'' (1981) *''The Hanging Stones'' (1982) *''The Voice of the Mountain'' (1984)


John Thunstone collections and novels

*'' Lonely Vigils'' ( Carcosa,1981) (Thunstone and Judge Pursuivant short stories) *'' What Dreams May Come'' (1983) *''The School of Darkness '' (1985) *''The Complete John Thunstone '' (2012)


Hok stories and collections

*"Battle in the Dawn" (1939) *"Hok Goes to Atlantis" (1939) *"The Day of the Conquerors" (1940) *"Hok Draws the Bow" *"Hok and the Gift of Heaven" (1941) *"Hok Visits the Land of Legends" (1942) *"The Love of Oloana" (1986) *"Untitled Hok Fragment" (1989) *''Battle in the Dawn: The Complete Hok the Mighty'' (2010)


Young adult stories

*The Lion Roared. (Thrilling Tales) 1927. *The Sleuth Patrol. 1947. *The Mystery of Lost Valley. 1948. *The Raiders of Beaver Lake. 1950. *The Haunts of Drowning Creek. 1951. *Wild Dogs of Drowning Creek. 1952. *The Last Mammoth. 1953. *Gray Riders: Jeb Stuart and His Men. 1954. *Rebel Mail Runner. 1954. *Flag on the Levee. 1955. *To Lands Unknown. 1956. *Young Squire Morgan. 1956. *Lights over Skelton Ridge. 1957. *The Master of Scare Hollow. 1957. *''Iron Scouts Trilogy'' **The Ghost Battalion: A Story of the Iron Scouts. 1958. **Ride, Rebels!: Adventures of the Iron Scouts. 1959. **Appomattox Road: Final Adventures of the Iron Scouts. 1960. *Third String Center. 1960. *Rifles at Ramsour's Mill: A Tale of the Revolutionary War. 1961. *Battle for King's Mountain. 1962. *Clash on the Catawba. 1962. *The South Fork Rangers. 1963. *The River Pirates. 1963. *Settlement on Shocco: Adventures in Colonial Carolina. 1963. *Mystery at Bear Paw Gap. 1964. *The Specter of Bear Paw Creek. 1966. *Battle at Bear Paw Gap. 1966. *Jamestown Adventure. 1967. *Brave Horse: The Story of Janus. 1968. *Carolina Pirate. 1968. *Frontier Reporter. 1969. *Mountain Feud. 1969. *Fast Break Five. 1971.


Other novels

* ''Cahena'' (1986) (historical novel) * ''Candle of the Wicked'' (1960) * ''A Double Life'' (movie tie-in) (Century Book Publications, 1947) Based on the screenplay by
Garson Kanin Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films. Early life Garson Kanin was born in Rochester, New York; his Jewish family later relocated to Detroit then to New York City. He at ...
and Ruth Gordon for the
George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...
movie starring
Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...
. * ''Find My Killer'' ( mystery) (Farrar, Straus and Giroux,1947)(as by Manly Wellman) * ''Fort Sun Dance'' (
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
) (1955) * ''Not At These Hands'' (mystery) (1962) * ''Romance in Black'' (as by 'Gans T. Field'). (UK: Utopian Publications, 1945)


Plays

*''Whom He May Devour''. Written in the 1930s. Published in ''Whispers'', 11/12 (1978).


Non-fiction

*"Everybody's a Character," '' The Writer'', August 1948 *Giant in Gray: A Biography of Wade Hampton III of South Carolina. 1949. *Dead and Gone: Classic Crimes of North Carolina. 1954. (Winner,
Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...
for Best Fact Crime, 1956) *Rebel Boast: First at Bethel, Last at Appomattox. 1956. *Fastest on the River: The Great Race Between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee. 1957. *The Life and Times of Sir Archie. With Elizabeth A. C. Blanchard. 1958. *The County of Warren, 1586–1917. 1959. *They Took Their Stand: The Founders of the Confederacy. 1959. *The Rebel Songster: Songs the Confederates Sang. 1959. *Harpers Ferry, Prize of War. 1960. *The County of Gaston. With Robert F. Cope. 1961. *The County of Moore, 1947-1947. 1962. *Winston-Salem:The Founders. 1966. *Napoleon of the West: A Story of the Aaron Burr Conspiracy. 1970. *The Kingdom of Madison: A Southern Mountain Fastness And Its People. 1971. *The Story of Moore County. 1974. *Winston-Salem In History, Vol. 7: Industry And Commerce 1766–1896. With Larry Edward Tise. 1976. *A City's Culture: Painting, Music, Literature. 1976.


Awards and honors

Wellman has been nominated for or won the following awards.


Adaptations

The Silver John stories were the inspiration for "Who Fears the Devil?", a 1994 recording by Joe Bethancourt that featured both traditional Appalachian folk songs that Silver John would have known, and Wellman's original lyrics that were in many of the Silver John stories, set to the traditional melodies that Wellman used as models. Additionally, the progressive bluegrass band, The Dixie Bee-Liners, recorded an original song inspired by the Silver John stories titled "Yellow-Haired Girl" on their 2008 album "RIPE." Much of the following information is taken from Mark Cannon's bibliography of Wellman. ''Larroes Catch Meddlers'':
Adapted for television for Lights Out as "The Meddlers", aired 7 July 1951
Director: Unknown
Screenwriter: Douglas Wood Gibson, Richard E Davis
Starring: John Carradine, E G Marshall, Dan Morgan ''School for the Unspeakable'':
Adapted for television for Lights Out as "The School for the Unspeakable", aired 7 January 1952
Director: Unknown
Screenwriter: Richard E Davis
Starring: Donald Buka, Don Hanmer, Leon Tokatyan, Dick Kallman, Maurice Kenney, Jason Jonson, John Gerstad, Harold Webster ''The Valley Was Still'':
Adapted for television for The Twilight Zone as " Still Valley," aired 24 November 1961
Director: James Sheldon
Screenwriter:
Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his Anthology series, anthology television series ''The Twilight Zone (1 ...

Starring: Gary Merrill (Paradine), Vaughn Taylor (Old Man), Ben Cooper (Dauger), Addison Myers (Sentry); Mark Tapscott (Lieutenant), Jack Mann (Mallory) ''The Devil is Not Mocked'':
Adapted for television for
Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, '' The Twilight Zon ...
, aired 27 October 1971
Director: Gene Kearney
Screenwriter: Gene Kearney
Starring: Helmut Dantine (General), Francis Lederer (Master), Hank Brandt (Kranz) ''Rouse Him Not'':
Adapted for TV for Monsters, aired December 1988
Director: Mark Shostrom
Writer: Michael Parry
Starring: Laraine Newman, Terrance Evans and Alex Cord as John Thunstone. ''Who Fears The Devil?''
1972 feature film, edited and re-released in 1973 as ''The Legend of Hillbilly John''
Producer: Barney Rosenzweig
Director: John Newland
Screenwriter: Melvin Levy
Starring: Hedge Capers (John),
Susan Strasberg Susan Elizabeth Strasberg (May 22, 1938 – January 21, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Thought to be the next Audrey Hepburn, Hepburn-type Ingénue, ingenue, she was nominated for a Tony Award at age 18, playing the ti ...
(Poly Wiltse), Denver Pyle (Grandpappy John), Severn Darden (Mr Marduke), Percy Rodriguez (Capt Lojoie H Desplain IV), R G Armstrong (Bristowe); Sharon Henesy (Lily); Sidney Clute (Charles); William Traynor (Rev. Millen); Harris Yulin (Zebulon Yandro); Alfred Ryder (O J Onselm); Chester Jones (Uncle Anansi); Val Avery (Cobart); "White Lightnin'" (themselves); "Honor Hound" (himself). Film based on the character of Silver John. Two segments of the film were based on the stories ''O Ugly Bird'' and ''The Desrick on Yandro''. ''School for the Unspeakable''
(on audiotape with Unfortunate Obsession by Matthew Costello)
Brilliance Corp 1997 ''Up Under the Roof''
2010 short film (35mm, 20 minutes)
Producer: Danielle Stallings and Darin Read
Director: Darin Read
Screenwriter: Danielle Stallings and Darin Read
Starring: Jonathan Milliken, Shawnna Youngquist, Geoff Elliot, Jill Hill, Vince Froio, Alice Taylor and voice of Greg Finley Based on Wellman's short story entitled "Up Under the Roof"


Legacy

Karl Edward Wagner referred to him as "the dean of fantasy writers."Stephen Jones, "Better Things Waiting: An Interview with Manly Wade Wellman", ''Fantasy Media,'' 2, No 2 (May/June 1980), pp. 14–16


Manly Wade Wellman Award

The Manly Wade Wellman Award, named in his honor, is given out annually since 2013 by the North Carolina Speculative Fiction Foundation for "outstanding achievement in science fiction and fantasy novels written by North Carolina authors". The winners of the award are listed below. *2014 – ''The Shambling Guide to New York City'' by Mur Lafferty *2015 – ''Ghost Train to New Orleans'' by Mur Lafferty *2016 – ''Raising Hell'' by John G. Hartness *2017 – ''Steeplejack'' by A. J. Hartley *2018 – ''Scourge'' by Gail Z. Martin *2019 – ''Empire of Silence'' by Christopher Ruocchio *2020 – ''A Fall in Autumn'' by Michael G. Williams *2021 – ''Queen of None'' by Natania Barron *2022 – ''The Actual Star'' by Monica Byrne *2023 – ''Nettle and Bone'' by Ursula Vernon


Notes


Further reading

*Robert Coulson. "The Recent Fantasies of Manly Wade Wellman". In Darrell Schweitzer (ed). ''Discovering Modern Horror Fiction''. Mercer Island, WA: Starmont House, 1985, pp,. 99–105. * Karl Edward Wagner. "About Manly Wade Wellman". ''World Fantasy 1983: Sixty years of Weird Tales'' (convention program book), pp. 3, 5–6. * Karl Edward Wagner. "Manly Wade Wellman: A Biography". ''The Horror Show'' (Spring 1987), 29–31. Accompanied by a Wellman story, "These Doth the Lord Hate" (pp. 24–28). *''Dictionary of North Carolina Biography'', Vol. 6, William S. Powell, Ed. (1996) at 160–161 (Article by William S. Powell) *''Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction'', L. W. Currey, G. K. Hall & Co., 1979


External links

;Digital collections * * * * ;Physical collections * * ;Other links
North Carolina Writers' Network Literary Hall of Fame


* * ttps://archive.org/details/FirstWorldFantasyConvention1975 Audio recordingof Mr. Wellman participating in author panel discussion during the First World Fantasy Convention in 1975 at ''archive.org'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Wellman, Manly Wade 1903 births 1986 deaths 20th-century American Episcopalians American fantasy writers American science fiction writers American horror writers 20th-century American novelists Columbia Law School alumni Edgar Award winners World Fantasy Award–winning writers American male novelists Appalachian music 20th-century American male writers American weird fiction writers American expatriates in Angola American historical novelists Writers of historical fiction set in the Middle Ages Writers of Sherlock Holmes pastiches