Frederick Faust
One of the most prolific of the pulp fictioneers, Frederick Faust had dozens of stories appearing under nearly 20 pennames, including BrandMax Max Brand, BaxterGeorgeOwen George Owen Baxter and ChallisGeorge George Challis. Faust's first story appeared in 1917 and they continued appearing in PulpMagazines the pulps and SlickMagazines the slicks until he was killed as a war correspondent in Europe during World War II. He wrote Westerns, mysteries, spy stories and created the characters Destry and Dr. Kildare.
Background
Frederick FaustBorn: May 29, 1892
Died: May 12, 1944
Among Faust's other pennames were: BoltLee Lee Bolt, ButlerWalter Walter Butler, EvanEvin Evin Evan, EvansEvan Evan Evans, FrederickJohn John Frederick, FrostFrederick Frederick Frost, LawtonDennis Dennis Lawton, ManningDavid David Manning, MorlandPeterHenry Peter Henry Moreland, SchoolcraftJohn John Schoolcraft, SilverNicholas Nicholas Silver and WardPeter Peter Ward.
Some have conferred the "King of the Pulps" title on Faust for writing more than 500 novels and stories during his 27-year writing career. But Faust didn't write for just the pulps. When pulp rates began to decline in the 1930s, Faust's work began appearing in SlickMagazines the slicks. One of his most famous characters, Dr. Kildare, turned up in Cosmopolitan.
During the late 1930s, Faust was writing on contract for Warner Bros. and MGM studios. His work provided the basis for nearly 50 films, including Destry Rides Again, starring Jimmy Stewart, and a series of Dr. Kildare features. Kildare was also featured in a radio serial and a television series.
After only a month into his role as a war correspondent in World War II, Faust was killed during a battle in Italy. The New York Times reported, "There was no doubt that the man who wrote the Dr. Kildare series and whose name had been emblazoned on the covers of hundreds of pulp magazines for decades, was killed in action."
