His creations and influence over fantasy are unparalleled - he wrote novels that would have many incarnations as films - The Incredible Shrinking Man, I Am Legend (with Vincent Price and Charlton Heston, long before Will Smith), The Legend of Hell House, Somewhere In Time, What Dreams May Come, A Stir of Echoes - his Twilight Zone episode Steel later became the basis for Hugh Jackman's Real Steel, as well as early Roger Corman adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe including The Raven, House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum.
He was a television legend - his other Twilight Zone episodes included the famous Nightmare at 20,000 Feet and The Enemy Within episode of Star Trek.
His short story Duel became the TV movie that launched Steven Spielberg's career - he won an Edgar for his teleplay on The Night Stalker movie, which preceded the Kolchak: The Night Stalker TV series and was a prolific contributor to many anthology TV series of the 60s and 70s, including The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Lawman, Rod Serling's Night Gallery, The Martian Chronicles and Amazing Stories.
Chris Carter named Fox Mulder's X-Files government source "Senator Matheson" after him.
Born in New Jersey, Matheson grew up in Brooklyn and served in the infantry in World War II. He was 87 and leaves one hell of a legacy. That's what a writer is supposed to be. I can't begin to thank you enough, Mr. Matheson. The rest of us can only look up, and tip our hats.
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