Robert Wright Campbell
Encyclopedia
Robert Wright Campbell often credited as R. Wright Campbell, was an American screenwriter, author and occasional actor. He was the brother of actor William Campbell and brother in law of Judith Campbell Exner.
then was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War
. When he asked his brother William how much he earned for acting, he went to Hollywood after his discharge.
Campbell began writing for anthology series such as Loretta Young Theatre and Warner Bros. Television
westerns such as Maverick
and Bronco
. Through his brother William, Campbell met Roger Corman
and wrote several screenplays for him beginning with Five Guns West
(1955). He received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay Man of a Thousand Faces
, the biography of Lon Chaney
.
Campbell left screenwriting and turned to novels after visiting Carmel, California where he moved to. His first novel was The Spy Who Sat and Waited. He wrote several novels of Los Angeles
that he called "La La Land" with a hero named James Whistler in Alice in La La Land and In La La Land We Trust, a series of Jimmy Flannery novels beginning with Junkyard Dog (awarded the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original) and two Jake Hatch novels.
Biography
Campbell studied painting at Brooklyn's Pratt InstitutePratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
then was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. When he asked his brother William how much he earned for acting, he went to Hollywood after his discharge.
Campbell began writing for anthology series such as Loretta Young Theatre and Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
westerns such as Maverick
Maverick (TV series)
Maverick is a western television series with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins. The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp. Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother...
and Bronco
Bronco
Bronco, or bronc is a term used in the United States, northern Mexico and Canada to refer to an untrained horse or one that habitually bucks. It may refer to a feral horse that has lived in the wild its entire life, but is also used to refer to domestic horses not yet fully trained to saddle, and...
. Through his brother William, Campbell met Roger Corman
Roger Corman
Roger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
and wrote several screenplays for him beginning with Five Guns West
Five Guns West
Five Guns West is a 1955 Western film set during the American Civil War directed by Roger Corman....
(1955). He received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay Man of a Thousand Faces
Man of a Thousand Faces
Man of a Thousand Faces is a film detailing the life of silent movie actor Lon Chaney, in which the title role is played by James Cagney.Directed by Joseph Pevney, the film's cast included Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer and Jim Backus...
, the biography of Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
Chaney is an American surname of French origin, and may refer to:* Charles "Bubba" Chaney , Louisiana politician* Chris Chaney, US musician* Darrel Chaney, US baseball player* Don Chaney, US basketballer* Esty Chaney , US baseballer...
.
Campbell left screenwriting and turned to novels after visiting Carmel, California where he moved to. His first novel was The Spy Who Sat and Waited. He wrote several novels of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
that he called "La La Land" with a hero named James Whistler in Alice in La La Land and In La La Land We Trust, a series of Jimmy Flannery novels beginning with Junkyard Dog (awarded the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original) and two Jake Hatch novels.