Johnston McCulley

Born in Ottawa, Illinois, on February 2, 1883, Johnston McCulley became one of the great workhorses of American popular fiction. He wrote for pulp magazines and went on to produce hundreds of short stories, about fifty novels, and scripts for film and television.

His most lasting creation was Zorro, who first appeared in 1919 in the story The Curse of Capistrano. That masked avenger became an enduring figure in books, movies, television, and comics, giving McCulley a permanent place in adventure fiction.

McCulley also created other recurring heroes and mystery-adventure characters, often writing under pseudonyms. He died in Los Angeles on November 23, 1958, but his storytelling legacy still lives on wherever readers enjoy swashbuckling action, secret identities, and bold, larger-than-life justice.