Charles Beaumont

 Charles Beaumont (January 2, 1929 – February 21, 1967)

Beaumont was an author of speculative fiction, including short stories in the horror and science fiction sub genres. He is remembered as a writer of classic Twilight Zone episodes, such as "The Howling Man", "Miniature", "Printer's Devil", and "Number Twelve Looks Just Like You", but also penned the screenplays for several films, among them 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Intruder, and The Masque of the Red Death. Novelist Dean Koontz has said, "Charles Beaumont was one of the seminal influences on writers of the fantastic and macabre." Beaumont was much admired by the well-known colleagues who outlived him (Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, Roger Corman), and his work is currently in the process of being rediscovered. In 1963, when Beaumont was 34 and overwhelmed by numerous writing commitments, he began to suffer the effects of "a mysterious brain disease" which seemed to age him rapidly. His ability to speak, concentrate, and remember became erratic. At first, this was attributed to Beaumont's drinking, but he was later diagnosed with having Alzheimer's and Pick's disease. Several fellow writers, including Nolan and friend Jerry Sohl, began ghostwriting for Beaumont during 1963/64, so that he could meet his many writing obligations.

Charles Beaumont died in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 38. He is buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, California (Alongside his wife Helen).