Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American 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, as well as the movie
Somewhere In Time for which Matheson wrote the screenplay, based on his novel Bid Time Return. Matheson also wrote 16 television episodes of
The Twilight Zone for
Rod Serling, including "
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" and "
Steel".