Richard Burton Matheson (1926¿2013) was born in New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn. He was an author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of I Am Legend, a 1954 horror novel that has been adapted for the screen four times. Other popular books by Matheson include Hell House and What Dreams May Come. In 2010, he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.