Richard Matheson
His chilling tales of suburban paranoia and existential dread, like 'I Am Legend,' reshaped modern horror and science fiction.
1926–2013 (age 87)·American author and screenwriter·Birthday: February 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Richard Matheson took the eerie and made it intimate, planting otherworldly terror in the familiar soil of American suburbia. After serving in the infantry during World War II, he turned to writing, selling his first story to Ray Bradbury. His 1954 novel 'I Am Legend' was a seismic shift, redefining the vampire myth as a solitary science fiction horror and influencing generations of zombie fiction. Matheson possessed a unique talent for taking a high-concept premise—a man shrinking inexplicably ('The Shrinking Man'), a gremlin on an airplane wing ('Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'), a house haunted by love ('What Dreams May Come')—and exploring its profound psychological consequences with clean, relentless prose. He became a cornerstone of 'The Twilight Zone,' adapting many of his own stories for the screen and setting a standard for the series' twist-ending parables. His novels and screenplays, including the classic 'The Incredible Shrinking Man' and Steven Spielberg's first feature, 'Duel,' stripped away gothic trappings to reveal a modern, existential fear that felt unnervingly close to home.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Richard was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2013Died at 87
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Wrote the seminal vampire novel 'I Am Legend,' which has been adapted into multiple films and profoundly influenced the zombie genre.
- Was a primary writer for the original 'The Twilight Zone' television series, penning classic episodes like 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet' and 'The Invaders.'
- Wrote the screenplay for the film 'The Incredible Shrinking Man,' adapting his own novel and creating a landmark of science fiction cinema.
- His 1971 novel 'Hell House' is considered a landmark in the haunted house subgenre.
- Wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg's first directed feature, the television film 'Duel.'
Did You Know?
He was a member of the same infantry division that liberated the Dachau concentration camp during World War II.
Stephen King has cited Matheson as the author who most influenced his own work, calling 'The Shrinking Man' a 'key book' in his life.
He wrote the 1973 TV movie 'The Night Stalker,' which became one of the highest-rated television movies of its time and launched a series.
He was a practicing Spiritualist and believed in life after death, a theme that appears in works like 'What Dreams May Come.'
“I think you can bring terror into the backyard. And that’s what I tried to do with my stories.”
