It is with great sadness that we write of Richard Matheson’s passing. Matheson was the author of I Am Legend, Hell House, The Incredible Shrinking Man, countless episodes of The Twilight Zone and many other seminal works including Duel, originally a short story which was adapted into a film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson. Stephen King described Matheson, in On Writing, as “the author who influenced me most.”

Richard’s daughter, Ali Marie Matheson said:

My beloved father passed away yesterday at home surrounded by the people and things he loved…he was funny, brilliant, loving, generous, kind, creative, and the most wonderful father ever…I miss you and love you forever Pop and I know you are now happy and healthy in a beautiful place full of love and joy you always knew was there…

Richard Matheson was due to appear at the World Fantasy Convention later this year but had pulled out because of health concerns. He has won numerous awards for his work including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1984 and the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Horror Writers Association in 1991.

We will bring you tributes throughout the day to Richard Matheson. Please feel free to email in your own tributes to [email protected]

R.I.P Richard Matheson, You Are Legend.

MICHAEL WILSON

As a writer of horror fiction, one of the most seminal writers I aspired to be like was Richard Matheson. An absolute legend!

Forever missed. Never forgotten.

LEX SINCLAIR (Neighbourhood Watch, Killer Spiders and Nobody Goes There)

Other websites pay tribute to Richard Matheson

Sky News
The Guardian
IO9
CNN
BBC News

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