Manly Wade Wellman (May 21, 1903 — April 5, 1986) was an American writer. He is best known for his fantasy and horror stories set in the Appalachian Mountains and for drawing on the native folklore of that region, but he wrote in a wide variety of genres including science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, detective fiction, western fiction, juvenile fiction and non-fiction. In the later 1920s, during the silent film era, Wellman wrote movie reviews for the Wichita Beacon. He also contributed to the writing of the comic book The Spirit while the franchise's creator, Will Eisner, was serving in the US military during World War II.
Three of Wellman's most famous reappearing protagonists are Silver John, aka John the Balladeer, the wandering backwoods minstrel with a silver-stringed guitar; the elderly 'occult detective' Judge Pursuivant; and the playboy-adventurer John Thunstone.
Wellman was born in Angola. He was of partial Native American ancestry.
After graduating from Wichita Municipal University (now [[Wichita State University]]) in [[Kansas]], he went on to receive a bachelor of laws degree from [[Columbia University]]. Wellman was a long-time resident of [[North Carolina]]. He has been the recipient of many awards, including the [[World Fantasy Award]] and [[Edgar Allan Poe Award]].
Manly Wade Wellman was said to have loved his wife Frances Garfield very much, one friend even commented "Those two are the best advertisement for monogamy in the whole world".
The Silver John stories were the inspiration for "Who Fears the Devil", a 1994 recording by Joe Bethancourt that featured both traditional Appalachian folk songs that Silver John would have known, and Wellman's original lyrics that were in many of the Silver John stories, set to the traditional melodies that Wellman used as models.
Much of the following information is taken from Mark Cannon's bibliography of Wellman.
Larroes Catch Meddlers:Adapted for television for Lights Out as “The Meddlers”,aired 7 July 1951Director: UnknownScreenwriter: Douglas Wood Gibson, Richard E DavisStarring: John Carradine, E G Marshall, Dan Morgan
School for the Unspeakable:Adapted for television for Lights Out as “The School for the Unspeakable”, aired 7 January 1952Director: UnknownScreenwriter: Richard E DavisStarring: Donald Buka, Don Hanmer, Leon Tokatyan, Dick Kallman, Maurice Kenney, Jason Jonson, John Gerstad, Harold Webster
The Valley Was Still:Adapted for television for The Twilight Zone as “Still Valley," aired 24 November 1961Director: James SheldonScreenwriter: Rod SerlingStarring: Gary Merrill (Paradine), Vaughn Taylor (Old Man), Ben Cooper (Dauger), Addison Myers (Sentry); Mark Tapscott (Lieutenant), Jack Mann (Mallory)
The Devil is Not Mocked:Adapted for television for Night Gallery, aired 27 October 1971Director: Gene KearneyScreenwriter: Gene KearneyStarring: Helmut Dantine (General), Francis Lederer (Master), Hank Brandt (Kranz)
Rouse Him Not:Adapted for TV for Monsters, aired December 1988Director: Mark ShostromWriter: Michael ParryStarring: Laraine Newman, Terrance Evans and Alex Cord as John Thunstone.
Who Fears The Devil?1972 feature film, edited and re-released in 1973 as The Legend of Hillbilly JohnProducer: Barney RosenzweigDirector: John NewlandScreenwriter: Melvin LevyStarring: Hedge Capers (John), Susan Strasberg (Poly Wiltse), Denver Pyle (Grandpappy John), Severn Darden (Mr Marduke), Percy Rodriguez (Capt Lojoie H Desplain IV), R G Armstrong (Bristowe); Sharon Henesy (Lily); Sidney Clute (Charles); William Traynor (Rev. Millen); Harris Yulin (Zebulon Yandro); Alfred Ryder (O J Onselm); Chester Jones (Uncle Anansi); Val Avery (Cobart); “White Lightnin’” (themselves); “Honor Hound” (himself).
Film based on the character of Silver John. Two segments of the film were based on the stories O Ugly Bird and The Desrick on Yandro.
School for the Unspeakable(on audiotape with Unfortunate Obsession by Matthew Costello)Brilliance Corp 1997
Up Under the Roof2010 short film (35mm, 20 minutes)Producer: Danielle Stallings & Darin ReadDirector: Darin ReadScreenwriter: Danielle Stallings & Darin ReadStarring: Jonathan Milliken, Shawnna Youngquist, Geoff Elliot, Jill Hill, Vince Froio, Alice Taylor and voice of Greg Finley
based on Wellman's short story entitled "Up Under the Roof"
