Richard Matheson's Kolchak Scripts
Edited by Mark Dawidziak. Published by Gauntlet Press.
Gauntlet publisher Barry Hoffman worked for 2 ½ years to secure all the rights and permissions to publish Richard Matheson’s three KOLCHAK SCREENPLAYS. This is the first release of “The Night Stalker”, and “The Night Strangler” (two “Movies of the Week” in 1972 and 1973, respectively, which led to the Kolchak series 1974-1975), plus “The Night Killers” (an unproduced script whose rights are still retained by Dan Curtis, and may one day become a feature film).
Acclaimed Kolchak chronicler Mark Dawidziak edits the book, which includes interviews with Matheson, William F. Nolan (who co-wrote “The Night Killers”), Dan Curtis and Jeff Rice (creator of the Kolchak character). Our agreement with ABC-TV allows us to publish just a signed limited edition of 552 copies (numbered and lettered). As a collectible, these scripts rival the limited edition of RICHARD MATHESON’S THE TWILIGHT ZONE SCRIPTS.
The book includes photos from private archives (relating to "The Night Stalker" and "The Night Strangler") that have never before seen the light of day. And, we were able to obtain artwork by noted illustrator E. Silas Smith (he was commissioned to draw for "The Night Stalker" and "The Night Strangler"). These pieces have also never been published before. Some of these illustrations appear in the Numbered edition, a few only in the Lettered edition, and a few more in a chapbook of illustrations/photos that will be free to anyone ordering the book from Gauntlet.
Contents:
- Introduction to The Night Stalker (by Mark Dawidziak)
- Cast and credits for The Night Stalker
- The Night Stalker (by Richard Matheson)
- Introduction to The Night Strangler (by Mark Dawidziak)
- Cast and credits for The Night Strangler
- The Night Strangler (by Richard Matheson)
- Introduction to The Night Killers (by Mark Dawidziak)
- The Night Killers (by Richard Matheson and William F. Nolan)
- Afterword by Chris Carter
- Appendix A: The Rest of the Kolchak Story
- Appendix B: Richard Matheson and the TV Movie
- Appendix C: Richard Matheson and the Vampire Story
- Appendix D: Photos and Illustrations
Richard Matheson
Richard Burton Matheson (1926–2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He may be known best as the author of I Am Legend, a 1954 horror novel that has been adapted for the screen four times, although five more of his novels have been adapted as major motion pictures: The Shrinking Man, Hell House, What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return (filmed as Somewhere in Time), A Stir of Echoes and The Box. Matheson also wrote numerous television episodes of The Twilight Zone for Rod Serling, including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "Steel". He later adapted his 1971 short story "Duel" as a screenplay which was promptly directed by a young Steven Spielberg, for the television movie of the same name.