Edwin Balmer (July 26, 1883 – March 21, 1959) was an American science fiction and mystery writer.
Biography
Balmer was born in Chicago to Helen Clark (Pratt) and Thomas Balmer. In 1909, he married Katharine MacHarg, sister of the writer William MacHarg. After her death, he married Grace A. Kee in 1927.
He began as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune in 1903 before writing for books and magazines. He was editor of Redbook (1927–1949) and later became associate publisher. He would then commission young writers to write up these ideas for inclusion in Redbook.
He died at Phelps Hospital in North Tarrytown, New York on March 21, 1959, at age 75, and was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.
Novels Together with author Philip Wylie, he wrote the catastrophe science fiction novels When Worlds Collide (1933) and After Worlds Collide (1934). The former was made into an award-winning 1951 movie by George Pal.
Balmer also wrote several detective novels and collaborated with William MacHarg on The Achievements of Luther Trant (1910), an early collection of detective short stories.
Comic strip Balmer also helped create (with artist Marvin Bradley) the syndicated comic strip Speed Spaulding, partially based on the Worlds Collide series, which ran from 1938 through 1941 in the comic book Famous Funnies.
Bibliography
1909 – Waylaid by Wireless 1910 – The Achievements of Luther Trant with William MacHarg 1910 – The Science of Advertising with counsel from Thomas Balmer 1913 – The Surakarta with William MacHarg 1915 – A Wild-Goose Chase 1916 – The Blind Man's Eyes with William MacHarg 1917 – The Indian Drum with William MacHarg 1919 – Ruth of the U. S. A. 1920 – Resurrection Rock 1922 – The Breath of Scandal 1923 – Keeban 1924 – Fidelia 1925 – That Royle Girl, basis for a silent comedy film of the same name 1927 – Dangerous Business, filmed as Party Girl in 1930 1927 – Flying Death 1932 – Five Fatal Words with Philip Wylie 1933 – The Golden Hoard with Philip Wylie 1933 – When Worlds Collide with Philip Wylie 1934 – After Worlds Collide with Philip Wylie 1934 – Dragons Drive You 1936 – The Shield of Silence with Philip Wylie 1941 – The Torn Letter 1954 – In His Hands 1956 – The Candle of the Wicked 1958 – With All the World Away 2013 – The Complete Achievements of Luther Trant (the 1910 book with 3 additional stories)
References Citations
Bibliography
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