Richard Connell

Richard Connell
Born	Richard Edward Connell Jr. (1893-10-17)October 17, 1893 Poughkeepsie, New York
Died	November 22, 1949(1949-11-22) (aged 56)

For other people named Richard Connell, see Richard Connell (disambiguation).

Richard Edward Connell Jr. (October 17, 1893 – November 22, 1949) was an American author and journalist probably best remembered for his short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924). Connell was one of the most popular American short story writers of his time, and his stories were published in the magazines Saturday Evening Post and Collier's Weekly. He had equal success as a journalist and screenwriter, and was nominated for an Academy Award during 1942 for best original story for the movie Meet John Doe.

Family history

Richard Connell was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the son of Richard Edward Connell Sr. (1857—1912) and Marrie Miller Connell. He had two sisters who were younger than him and one older. Connell Sr., his father, was an editor and reporter of the local newspaper. Connell Sr. began his political career when he accepted the job of police commissioner of Poughkeepsie.

During 1896 Connell Sr. was unsuccessful in a bid for the 55th United States Congress, and failed later bids when he campaigned for the state assembly. He became a delegate to the Democratic National Convention during 1900 and served until 1904. On March 4, 1911, Richard's father won the 62nd United States Congress election and served until his death on October 30, 1912. Earlier during 1912, he had been nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for re-election to the 63rd Congress.

Short stories and screen stories

• "Once a Sloganeer" (1922)
• "A Friend of Napoleon" (1923)
• "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924)
• "Centenarian" (Century, July, 1916)" (Colliers, January 19, 1924)
• "The Umps" (1924)
• "Black Chrysanthemums" (The New Yorker, 1927)
• "Cross-Eyed South-Paw" (Colliers, February 2, 1929)
• Dark Streets (1929) (screen story)
• "Heart of a Sloganeer" (Saturday Evening Post, 1929)
• "Pitchers Are Peculiar" (1930)
• F-Man (1936) (screen story)
• Our Relations aka Double Trouble and Sailors' Downfall (1936) (screen story)
• "Brother Orchid" (Colliers, May 21, 1938, short story)
• Brother Orchid (1940) (screen story)
• Meet John Doe (1941) (screen story)
• "If I Was Alone with You
• "One Hundred Dollars"
• "Isles of Romance"
• "A Little Bit of Broadway"
• "Tropic of Capricorn"
• "Terrible Epps"
• "The Cage Man"

Screenplays and screenwriter credits

• The Milky Way (1936) (writer)
• Love on Toast (1937) (writer)
• Okusama ni shirasu bekarazu (1937) (writer)
• The Cowboy and the Lady (1938) (contributing writer) (uncredited)
• Dr. Rhythm (1938) (writer)
• Hired Wife (1940) (writer)
• Nice Girl? (1941) (writer)
• Rio Rita (1942) (screenplay)
• Presenting Lily Mars (1943) (screenplay)
• Thrill of a Romance (1945) (writer)
• Her Highness and the Bellboy (1945) (writer)
• Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) (writer)
• Luxury Liner (1948) (writer)

Novels

• The Mad Lover (1927)
• Murder at Sea (1929)
• Playboy (1936)
• What Ho! (1937)

External links

• Additional biography and text of The Most Dangerous Game
• Works by Richard Connell (public domain in Canada)
• Louise Fox Connell Papers, 1904-1986 at Harvard University Library