Howard Browne

(April 15, 1908 – October 28, 1999)

Howard Browne was an SF editor and fantasy and mystery writer. He also wrote for several television series and films. Some of his work appeared under the pseudonyms John Evans, Alexander Blade, Lawrence Chandler, Ivar Jorgensen, and Lee Francis.

Beginning in 1942, Browne worked as managing editor for Ziff Davis Publications on Amazing Stories and Fantastic Adventures, both under Raymond A. Palmer's editorship. When Palmer left the magazines in 1949, Browne took over in January 1950. Browne ended the publication of Richard Shaver's Shaver Mystery and oversaw the change in Amazing from a pulp magazine to a digest. He was the first editor of the Ziff Davis digest magazine Fantastic.

He left magazine work in 1956 to move to Hollywood, where he wrote for such television shows as Maverick, Ben Casey, and The Virginian. His last credit was for the film Capone (1975).

Browne's novel Thin Air was twice adapted for television. In 1975, it was used as the basis for a first season episode of The Rockford Files titled "Sleight of Hand." In 1982, it was the basis for a second season episode of Simon & Simon of the same name as the novel.

He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and died in Santiago, California.

Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

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Person

1908—1999

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