Born in the Russian Empire in the year 1904, Lewton embarked on a journey with his mother and sister to the vibrant city of Berlin in 1906, only to relocate to the United States in 1909. This marked the beginning of a writing career that would span numerous genres, including newspapers, magazines, novels, and even pornography, often utilizing pseudonyms to conceal his authorship. The name Val Lewton, which he initially employed for some novels in the 1930s, would later be revived in his career to claim writing credits for two films.
In 1933, Lewton secured a position with David O. Selznick, where he spent many years serving as a story editor and versatile jack-of-all-trades. His tenure with Selznick would prove to be a significant period in his career, laying the groundwork for his future success.
In 1942, RKO Studios hired Lewton to head their newly established horror unit, a role that would enable him to produce a plethora of famous and respected B-movies on a shoestring budget, yet yielding substantial profits. This period would be marked by a remarkable output of low-cost, high-gain films that would cement Lewton's reputation as a master of the horror genre.
As the years progressed, Lewton "graduated" to A-movies in 1946, but his increasing health issues, difficulties working with big-money Hollywood, and other factors would ultimately force him to produce only three more films before his untimely death in 1951.
