John L. Balderston was an American playwright, screenwriter, and journalist from Philadelphia. He was a master of creating horror and fantasy stories, and his work in the film industry spanned several decades.
Balderston received his college education at Columbia University, a prestigious private research university located in New York City. After graduating, he was hired as a journalist by the daily newspaper "The Philadelphia Record" (1877-1947),where he served as the newspaper's New York City correspondent.
During World War I, Balderston served as a war correspondent for the McClure Newspaper Syndicate and as a director of information in England and Ireland for the United States Committee on Public Information. He also co-wrote "The Brooke Kerith", a biography of Jesus, and wrote his debut play, "The Genius of the Marne".
From 1920 to 1923, Balderston served as a magazine editor for the London-based publication "The Outlook" (1898-1928). He then became the head of the London bureau for the daily newspaper "New York World" (1860-1931),where he worked until 1931.
Balderston's first major hit was "Berkeley Squarte" (1926),a time travel-themed play that enjoyed 179 performances at London's West End theaters and 229 performances on Broadway. His next major success was the 1927 American adaptation of the play "Dracula", which was a huge hit and turned lead actor Bela Lugosi into a rising star.
In the 1930s, Balderston worked as a screenwriter for various film studios, including Universal Pictures. He wrote screenplays for several films, including "The Mummy" (1932),"Bride of Frankenstein" (1935),and "Dracula's Daughter" (1936). He also wrote the screenplay for the adventure film "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937) and the psychological thriller "Gaslight" (1944).
Throughout his career, Balderston was known for his ability to adapt classic literature into successful films. He collaborated with other writers on the film adaptation of "Gone with the Wind" (1939) and wrote several novels, including "A Goddess to a God" (1948),which depicted the relationship of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII.
In his later years, Balderston taught drama at the University of Southern California and settled a law suit with Universal Pictures over the "Frankenstein" sequels. He died in March 1954 at the age of 64, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most successful screenwriters of the interwar period.
