Edison Tesla Marshall (August 28, 1894 – October 29, 1967) was an American short story writer and novelist.

Life

Marshall was born on August 28, 1894, in

Rensselaer, Indiana Rensselaer is a city located along the Iroquois River (Indiana-Illinois), Iroquois River in Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana, Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana, Jasper County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2 ...

. He grew up in

Medford, Oregon Medford is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census on April 1, 2020, the city had a total population of 85,824, making it the List of cities in Oregon, eighth-most populo ...

, and attended the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...

from 1913 to 1916. He served in the U.S. Army with the rank of second lieutenant. His 1917

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

draft registration card indicated he was a "professional writer" employed by ''

The American Magazine ''The American Magazine'' was a periodical publication founded in June 1906, a continuation of failed publications purchased a few years earlier from publishing mogul Miriam Leslie. It succeeded '' Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly'' (1876–1904) ...

'' and ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine published six times a year. It was published weekly from 1897 until 1963, and then every other week until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely circulated and influ ...

'', and that he was missing his thumb on his left hand. He married Agnes Sharp Flythe; they had two children, Edison and Nancy. In 1926, they moved to

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

. Marshall mainly wrote

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 ...

. He also wrote some

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 ...

about lost civilizations. For some of his work, he used the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

''Hall Hunter''. His novel ''Benjamin Blake'' was adapted into a film in 1942, '' Son of Fury'', starring

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

. ''

Yankee Pasha-The Adventures of Jason Starbuck ''Yankee Pasha: The Adventures of Jason Starbuck'' is a historical novel written by Edison Marshall and published in 1947. ''Yankee Pasha'' is probably Marshall's best-known work and one of the most popular. ''Yankee Pasha'' was indeed very p ...

'' was adapted into the film '' Yankee Pasha'', starring Jeff Chandler and

Mamie Van Doren Mamie Van Doren (; born Joan Lucille Olander; February 6, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and model. A Bombshell (slang), blonde bombshell, she is one of the "Three M's" along with Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, who were friends and ...

in 1954, as was '' The Vikings'', starring

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. ...

, in 1958. He held the Gold Cross, Order of Merit from the University of Miami. A life-long hunter, he stalked big game in Canada, Alaska, Africa, Indo-China, and India. A high school hunting accident cost him his thumb. He described his hunting experiences in ''The Heart of the Hunter'', copyrighted in 1956. He died on October 29, 1967, in Augusta, Georgia.

Awards

* 1921 O. Henry Award

Works

* * * (reprinted 1950 as ''Trail's End'', Popular Library ) * (reprinted 1950 as ''Riders of the Smoky Land'') * * (reprinted 1972 as ''The Lost Land'') * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * He had also worked on ''

Parole, Inc. ''Parole, Inc.'' is a 1948 American crime film directed by Alfred Zeisler and starring Michael O'Shea, with Turhan Bey and Evelyn Ankers in support. The film depicts an undercover FBI investigation of corruption within the state parole board of ...

'' (1948), a

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

, as a dialog director.

Stories

* *

References

External links

* * * * * *
"Reviews: ''The Pagan King''", ''SF Site'', Georges T. Dodds
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, Edison 1894 births 1967 deaths 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American short story writers American historical novelists American male novelists American male short story writers American science fiction writers Novelists from Georgia (U.S. state) O. Henry Award winners People from Medford, Oregon People from Rensselaer, Indiana University of Oregon alumni Writers from Augusta, Georgia