Arthur Guy Empey

Born in Ogden, Utah, in 1883, he served as a professional soldier in the U.S. Army before joining the British Army during World War I. After returning home, he wrote Over the Top, an autobiographical account of trench warfare that became a major bestseller and helped make him widely known.

His career didn’t stop with memoir. He wrote patriotic song lyrics during the war years and moved into the film industry, where he worked on silent-era productions as a screenwriter, producer, director, and performer. A film version of Over the Top even featured him on screen.

Empey died in 1963, but his work still offers a vivid window into how World War I was remembered and retold for a mass audience in the United States. He remains an interesting figure at the crossroads of military history, publishing, and early Hollywood.