Leigh Brackett

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Leigh Douglass Brackett (born December 7, 1915 in Los Angeles , California , † March 17, 1978 in Lancaster , California) was an American writer and screenwriter . She wrote some of her works under the pseudonym VE Thiessen .

Life

Brackett's father died during the 1918 flu epidemic . Brackett grew up in Santa Monica in her grandfather's house with her mother and an aunt. Brackett, who in her youth was a fan of Robert E. Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs ' John Carter stories, took a writing course with Laurence D'Orsay, through which Henry Kuttner got to know her work and recommended her his agent Julius Schwartz. In 1946, Brackett married Edmond Moore Hamilton , a science fiction writer who was known in his day as the "World Saver". The Hamiltons lived alternately in Ohio and California. After her husband's death in 1977, Brackett moved permanently to California, where she lived until her death. In addition to nearly 200 science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories, Brackett wrote numerous screenplays for film and television as well as short stories and three detective novels.

Services

Leigh Brackett worked as a freelance writer since 1939 and published her first short story, Martian Quest , in Astounding in 1940 . In the 1940s she published regularly with Ray Bradbury in Planet Stories . Many of the stories published in those years were adventure stories, the action of which takes place in our solar system, including The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter , whose action is set on Venus . In 1944 she published a detective novel ( No Good from a Corpse ), which was strongly reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and Black Mask . Howard Hawks hired the author who was a woman, to his surprise, for the screenplay for The Big Sleep ( The Big Sleep ). Brackett finished the script together with William Faulkner . Further scripts for films by Howard Hawks followed, including for Rio Bravo , El Dorado and Rio Lobo as well as for Hatari! . Brackett himself described the El Dorado script as her best, while Hawks found the story too tragic. Before working with Hawks, Brackett had written the script for The Vampire's Ghost (1945). Other screenplays followed, so to The Long Goodbye by Robert Altman in 1973. Her latest screenplay was written by Brackett to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back ( The Empire Strikes Back ). The film was dedicated to her.

In addition to her scripts, Brackett wrote numerous novels, mostly so-called Sword and Sorcery stories, including The Sword of Rhiannon (1953), but also space operas such as The Starmen .

Awards

0000 British Fantasy Award for The Empire Strikes Back in the "Film" category
0000 Balrog Award for The Empire Strikes Back in the "SF Film Hall of Fame" category

bibliography

Series and cycles

Leigh Brackett's Solar System
  • Child of the Green Light (in: Super Science Stories, February 1942 )

Mercury / Mercury:

  • The Demons of Darkside (in: Startling Stories, January 1941 )
  • A World Is Born (in: Comet, July 1941 )
  • Cube from Space (in: Super Science Stories, August 1942 )
  • Shannach - The Last (in: Planet Stories, November 1952 )

Venus:

  • The Stellar Legion (in: Planet Stories, Winter 1940 )
  • The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter (in: Planet Stories, Summer 1941 ; also: The Dragon-Queen of Venus , 2002)
  • Interplanetary Reporter (in: Startling Stories, May 1941 )
  • The Blue Behemoth (in: Planet Stories, May 1943 )
  • Citadel of Lost Ships (in: Planet Stories, March 1943 ; also: The Citadel of Lost Ships , 2002)
  • Terror Out of Space (in: Planet Stories, Summer 1944 )
    • German: Sirens of the universe. In: The Enigma of Venus. Moewig (Terra special volume # 62), 1962. Also as: Deadly lure. In: Science-Fiction-Stories 29. Ullstein 2000 # 53 (2989), 1973, ISBN 3-548-02989-2 .
  • The Vanishing Venusians (in: Planet Stories, Spring 1945 )
  • Lorelei of the Red Mist (in: Planet Stories, Summer 1946 ; with Ray Bradbury )
    • English: The Venus Witch. In: Walter Spiegl (Ed.): Science-Fiction-Stories 18. Ullstein 2000 # 31 (2916), 1972, ISBN 3-548-02916-7 .
  • The Moon That Vanished (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, October 1948 ; also: The Moonfire Gods , 1954)
    • German: Das Mondfeuer. In: Donald A. Wollheim (ed.): Brother of the sword. Pabel (Terra Fantasy # 10), 1975.

Earth:

Mars:

  • Shadow Over Mars (in: Startling Stories, Fall 1944 ; also: The Nemesis from Terra , 1976)
    • English: Shadow over Mars. Pabel-Moewig (Terra Astra # 329), 1977.
  • The Beast-Jewel of Mars (in: Planet Stories, Winter 1948 )
    • German: The Metamorphosis Jewels. In: Hands off Mars. 1977.
  • Sea-Kings of Mars (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1949 ; also: The Sword of Rhiannon , 1953)
    • English: The legacy of the gods of Mars. Translated by Fritzheinz van Doornick. Pabel (Utopia large volume # 46), Rastatt 1956, DNB 363379398 . Also as: The legacy of the Mars gods. Translated by Lore Straßl. Pabel (Terra Fantasy # 49), 1978.
  • The Last Days of Shandakor (in: Startling Stories, April 1952 )
    • English: The last days of Shandakor. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.
  • Mars Minus Bisha (in: Planet Stories, January 1954 )
    • German: The fateful legacy. In: Hands off Mars. 1977.
  • Purple Priestess of the Mad Moon (in: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1964 )
    • German: The purple priestess. In: Hands off Mars. 1977. Also as: The Purple Priestess. In: Michael Görden (ed.): The great book of fantasy. Bastei-Lübbe Paperback # 28102, 1977, ISBN 3-404-28102-0 .
  • The Coming of the Terrans (1967, collection)
    • English: Hands off Mars. Translated by Lore Straßl. Pabel-Moewig (Terra Astra # 317), 1977.

Mars - Eric John Stark:

  • Enchantress of Venus (in: Planet Stories, Fall 1949 ; also: The City of the Lost Ones , 1958)
    • English: Revolt of the Lost. Translated by Fritzheinz van Doornick. Pabel (Utopia Science Fiction # 95), 1957. Also as: The Sorceress of Venus. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.
  • Queen of the Martian Catacombs (in: Planet Stories, Summer 1949 )
  • Black Amazon of Mars (in: Planet Stories, March 1951 )
  • The Road to Sinharat (in: Amazing Stories, May 1963 )
  • People of the Talisman (1964, in: Leigh Brackett: People of the Talisman / The Secret of Sinharat )
    • German: Guardian at the Gate of Death. Translated by Lore Straßl. Pabel (Terra Fantasy # 41), 1977.
  • The Secret of Sinharat (1964, in: Leigh Brackett: People of the Talisman / The Secret of Sinharat )
    • German: War of the Immortals. Translated by Hubert Straßl. Pabel (Utopia Science Fiction # 579), 1968. Also called: The Way to Sinharat. Translated by Hubert & Lore Straßl. Pabel (Terra Fantasy # 40), Rastatt / Baden 1977, DNB 780061896 .
  • People of the Talisman / The Secret of Sinharat (collective edition of 2 novels; 1964; also: Eric John Stark: Outlaw of Mars , 1982; also: The Secret of Sinharat , 2007)

Mars - Eric John Stark - Skaith:

  • 1 The Ginger Star (2 parts in: Worlds of If, January-February 1974  ff.)
    • German: The dying star. Translated by Jürgen Saupe. Pabel (Terra Taschenbuch # 320), 1979.
  • 2 The Hounds of Skaith (1974)
    • German: demon from space. Translated by Jürgen Saupe. Pabel (Terra Taschenbuch # 324), 1980.
  • 3 The Reavers of Skaith (1976)
    • German: Planet on the move. Translated by Jürgen Saupe. Pabel (Terra Taschenbuch # 326), 1980.
  • The Book of Skaith: The Adventures of Eric John Stark (collective edition from 1–3; 1976)

The Asteroid Belt:

  • No Man's Land in Space (in: Amazing Stories, July 1941 )
  • The Veil of Astellar (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, Spring 1944 )
    • English: The Veil of Astellar. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.

Jupiter:

  • Outpost on Io (in: Planet Stories, Winter 1942 )
  • The Dancing Girl of Ganymede (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, February 1950 )

Collections:

  • Beyond Mars (2008)
  • The Eric John Stark Saga (2008)
  • Mercury's Light (2008)
  • The Solar System (2008)
  • Stark and the Star Kings (2008; with Edmond Hamilton)
  • Swamps of Venus (2008)
  • Shannach - The Last: Farewell to Mars (2011)
  • Stark Planets (2019)
  • The Illustrated Stark (collective edition, 2019; also: The Complete Illustrated Stark )
  • The Mercurian: Three Tales of Eric John Stark (Collective Edition, 2019)
Starwars
  • The Empire Strikes Back Notebook (1980; with Lawrence Kasdan )
  • The Empire Strikes Back Storybook (1980; with George Lucas , Lawrence Kasdan, and Shep Steneman)
  • The Empire Strikes Back (1998; with Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas)

Novels

  • No Good from a Corpse (1944)
  • Stranger at Home (1946)
  • The Starmen of Llyrdis (in: Startling Stories, March 1951 ; also: The Starmen , 1952; also: The Galactic Breed , 1955; also: The Starmen of Llyrdis , 1976)
    • English: The ship of Orthis. Moewig (Terra # 117), 1960.
  • The Big Jump (in: Space Stories, February 1953 ; also: The Big Jump , 1955)
    • German: The big jump. Translated by Lothar Heinecke . Moewig (Terra # 112), 1960. Also as: The big jump. Translated by Lore Straßl . Moewig (Terra-Taschenbuch # 353), Rastatt and Rastatt 1983, DNB 830467564 .
  • The Long Tomorrow (1955)
    • German: In the morning of another time. Translated by MF Arnemann. Pabel (Utopia large volume # 110), 1959.
  • An Eye for an Eye (1957)
    • German: Where is my wife? : Detective novel. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmanns Taschen-Krimi # 1078, Munich 1962, DNB 450578682 .
  • The Tiger Among Us (1957; also: Fear No Evil , 1960; also: 13 West Street , 1962)
    • German: I was the victim: criminal novel. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmanns Taschen-Krimi # 1030, Munich 1961, DNB 450578704 . Also as: predators among us. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Unionsverlag Taschenbuch # 152, Zurich 1999, ISBN 3-293-20152-0 .
  • Rio Bravo (1959)
    • German: Rio Bravo: Western novel. Translated by Walter Brumm. Heyne books # 2124, Munich 1966, DNB 456171428 .
  • The Nemesis From Terra (1961)
    • English: Shadow over Mars. Translated by Lore Straßl. Moewig Terra Astra # 329, 1977.
  • Alpha Centauri or Die! (1963, in: G. McDonald Wallis and Leigh Brackett: Alpha Centauri or Die! / Legend of Lost Earth )
    • English: Alpha Centauri see and die. Translated by Volker Diefenbach. Bastei Lübbe Science Fiction Action # 21111, 1978, ISBN 3-404-01104-X .
  • Follow the Free Wind (1963)
    • German: Free as the Wind: A novel from the Wild West. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmann's yellow paperbacks # 1638, Munich 1965, DNB 450578690 .
  • Silent Partner (1969)

Collections

  • The Halfling and Other Stories (1973)
  • The Best of Leigh Brackett (1977)
    • English: The best stories by Leigh Brackett. By Leigh Brackett. Translated by Eva Malsch. Moewig (Playboy Science Fiction # 6715), 1981, ISBN 3-8118-6715-6 .
  • No Good from a Corpse (1999)
  • Martian Quest: The Early Brackett (2002)
  • Sea Kings of Mars (2005)
  • Lorelei of the Red Mist: Planetary Romances (2007)
  • Black Amazon of Mars and Other Tales from the Pulps (2010)

Short stories

1940
  • Martian Quest (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1940 )
  • The Treasure of Ptakuth (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1940 )
  • The Tapestry Gate (in: Strange Stories, August 1940 )
1941
  • Water Pirate (in: Super Science Stories, January 1941 )
  • Lord of the Earthquake (in: Science Fiction, June 1941 )
  • Retreat to the Stars (in: Astonishing Stories, November 1941 )
1942
  • Child of the Sun (in: Planet Stories, Spring 1942 )
  • The Sorcerer of Rhiannon (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1942 )
  • Out of the Sea (in: Astonishing Stories, June 1942 )
1943
  • Thralls of the Endless Night (in: Planet Stories, Fall 1943 )
1944
  • The Jewel of Bas (in: Planet Stories, Spring 1944 )
    • English: Das Juwel des Bas. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.
  • The Jewel of the Bas (1944)
    • English: Das Juwel des Bas. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.
1949
  • Quest of the Starhope (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, April 1949 )
  • The Lake of the Gone Forever (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, October 1949 )
1950
  • The Truants (in: Startling Stories, July 1950 )
  • The Citadel of Lost Ages (in: Thrilling Wonder Stories, December 1950 )
  • Citadel of Lost Ages (1950)
    • English: The citadel in the ice. In: Walter Spiegl (Ed.): Science-Fiction-Stories 8. Ullstein 2000 # 11 (2845), 1971, ISBN 3-548-02845-4 .
1951
  • The Woman from Altair (in: Startling Stories, July 1951 )
1952
  • The Shadows (in: Startling Stories, February 1952 )
1953
  • The Ark of Mars (in: Planet Stories, September 1953 )
1954
  • Runaway (in: Startling Stories, Spring 1954 )
  • Teleportress of Alpha C (1954, in: Planet Stories, Winter 1954-55 )
1955
  • The Tweener (in: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1955 )
  • Last Call from Sector 9G (in: Planet Stories, Summer 1955 )
1956
  • The Queer Ones (1956; also: The Other People , 1958; also: The Strange Ones , 1963)
    • German: The secret invaders. In: The secret invaders. Moewig (Terra Nova # 165), 1971. Also called: Die Seltsamen. In: Leigh Brackett: Leigh Brackett's Best Stories. 1981.
1957
  • Revolt of the Lost. Pabel (Utopia Science Fiction # 95), 1957.
  • All the Colors of the Rainbow (in: Venture Science Fiction Magazine, November 1957 ; also: All the Colors of the Rainbow , 1964)
1963
  • The Road of Sinharat (1963)
    • English: The way to Sinharat. In: Leigh Brackett: The Road to Sinharat. Pabel Terra Fantasy # 40, 1977.
1964
  • The Purple Priestess of the Mad Moon (1964)
    • German: The purple priestess. In: Leigh Brackett: Hands Off Mars. Moewig Terra Astra # 317, 1977.
  • The Secret of Sinharat (1964)
    • English: Curse of the Immortals. In: Leigh Brackett: The Road to Sinharat. Pabel Terra Fantasy # 40, 1977.
1965
  • The True Death of Juanito Rodriguez (in: Cosmopolitan, February 1965 )
1973
  • Come Sing the Moons of Moravenn (1973, in: Roger Elwood (Ed.): The Other Side of Tomorrow )
    • English: The moons of Moravenn. In: Roger Elwood (ed.): Beyond Tomorrow. Ueberreuter # 3137, 1976, ISBN 3-8000-3137-X .
  • How Bright the Stars (1973, in: Roger Elwood (Ed.): Flame Tree Planet: An Anthology of Religious Science-Fantasy )
1974
  • "Mommies and Daddies" (1974, in: Roger Elwood (Ed.): Crisis ; also: Mommies and Daddies , 2011; also: Mummies & Daddies , 1975)
1977
  • Stark and the Star Kings (1977, in: Leigh Brackett: The Best of Leigh Brackett ; with Edmond Hamilton)
1993
1999
  • Design For Dying (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • The Misfortune Teller (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • Murder in the Family (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • Murder Is Bigamy (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • No Star Is Lost (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • Red-Headed Poison (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
  • So Pale, So Cold, So Fair (1999, in: Leigh Brackett: No Good from a Corpse )
2019
  • The Enchantress of Venus (2019)
2020
  • The War-Nymphs of Venus (2020)
0000
  • Shadow in the Woods
    • English: shade in the woods. In: Hubert Straßl (Ed.): Lands of Wonder 6.Private print Lands of Wonder # 6, 1969.

Anthologies

  • The Best of Planet Stories # 1: Strange Adventures on Other Worlds (1975)
  • Thieves' Carnival / The Jewel of Bas (1990; with Karen Haber)
  • Lorelei of the Red Mist / Gold in the Sky (2017; with Alan E. Nourse and Ray Bradbury )

script

literature

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Brackett, Leigh
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Brackett, Leigh Douglass (full name); Hamilton, Leigh Douglass Brackett (married name); Sanders, George (pen name); Thiessen, VE (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American writer
DATE OF BIRTH December 7, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH los Angeles
DATE OF DEATH March 17, 1978
Place of death Lancaster (California) , USA