Art by Emsh

Fredric Brown – Part 3 (1955-2014)

If you missed Part 1 or Part 2

The final part of Fredric Brown’s career settled into a slower paced routine. He wrote a Mystery novel a year, did a short stint in Hollywood that saw his stories adapted for Alfred Hitchcock Presents. As the Pulps died, Brown switched to writing for the Men’s magazines, some like Playboy paying very well. He was a regular at Fantasy & Science Fiction and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. (Excellent magazines but neither used interior illustrations so the amount of Brown art was reduced.)

As the 1950s closed, he began experimenting with flash fiction, writing some of his shortest works. Poor health ended his writing career by 1966. Paradox Lost was published shortly after his death in 1972, his swansong. Dennis McMillan took on the mammoth task of reprinting all his Mystery stories in the 1980-90s. Adaptations in Star Trek, Marvel Comics and a poor film version of Martians Go Home showed his legacy was not quickly forgotten.

The introduction of From These Ashes: The Complete SF of Fredric Brown mentions that Brown offered to teach his son how to be a writer. He wisely declined.

1955

Artist unknown

The Wench Is Dead (1955)

Art by Frank Kelly Freas

Martians, Go Home (1953)

“Blood” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, February 1955)

“Millennium” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1955)

“Premiere of Murder” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, May 1955)

“Imagine” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 1955)

“Mind’s Eye” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 1955)

“The Perfect Crime” (aka”Fatal Error”) (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, June 1955)

“The Letter” (aka”Dead Letter”) (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, July 1955)

“First Time Machine” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September 1955)

“Too Far” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 1955)

1956

Art by Mitchell Hooks

The Lenient Beast (1956)

“Line of Duty” (Manhunt, April 1957)

1957

Art by H. Lawrence Hoffman

Rogue in Space (1957)

“Murder Set to Music” ” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, January 1957)

“Expedition” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, February 1957)

Claude Rains and James Gregory

Alfred Hitchcock Presents“The Cream of the Jest” (March 10, 1957)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents“The Night the World Ended” (April 28, 1957)

Albert Salmi and Robert H. Harris

Alfred Hitchcock Presents“The Dangerous People” (June 23, 1957)

“Happy Ending” (with Mack Reynolds) (Fantastic Universe, September 1957)

1958

Artist Unknown

One For the Road (1958)

Art by Hieronymus Bosch

Honeymoon in Hell (1958)

Artist Unknown

The Office (1958)

The Screaming Mimi (1958) directed by Ger Oswald and starring Anita Ekberg

ITV Television Playhouse – “Cry Silence” (January 31, 1958)

“The Amy Waggoner Murder Case” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, February 1958)

Art by Bob Powell

“The First Man on the Moon” (Race For the Moon #1, March 1958) – unacknowledged version of “Knock”

“Unfortunately” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, October 1958)

“Who Was That Blonde I Saw You Kill Last Night?” (Swank, December 1958)

1959

Artist Unknown

Knock Three-One-Two (1959)

Artist unknown

The Late Lamented (1959)

“The Late Lamented” ” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, February 1959)

“Nasty” (Playboy, April 1959)

Artist Unknown

“Rope Trick” (Adam, May 1959)

Steve McQueen and Arthur Hill

Alfred Hitchcock Presents“Human Interest Story” (May 24, 1959)

“Night of the Psycho” (High Adventure, June 1959)

Robert Webber and Jane Greer

Alfred Hitchcock Presents -“A True Account” (June 7, 1959)

“Three” (The Gent, October 1959)

“The Devil Times Three” (1959)

1960

“Abominable” (The Dude, March 1960)

“Bear Possibility” (The Dude, March 1960)

“Portfolio” (The Dude, March 1960)

“Recessional” (The Dude, March 1960)

“The Mind Thing” (Fantastic Universe, March 1960)

“The Power” (aka “Rebound”) (Galaxy, April 1960)

“Granny’s Birthday” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, June 1960)

Art by Carter

“Earthmen Bearing Gifts” (Galaxy, June 1960)

“The House” (Fantastic, August 1960)

Barry Williams

Boris Karloff’s Thriller – “Knock Three-One-Two” (December 13, 1960)

1961

Artist unknown

The Murderers (1961)

Artist Unknown

The Mind Thing (1961)

Art by Hieronymus Bosch

Nightmares and Geezenstacks (1961)

“Second Chance” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Great Lost Discoveries I – Invisibility” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Great Lost Discoveries II – Invulnerability” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Great Lost Discoveries III – Immortality” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Three Little Owls (A Fable)” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Bright Beard” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Cat Burglar” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Death on the Mountain” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Fatal Error” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Fish Story” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Horse Race” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Jaycee” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Nightmare in Blue” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Nightmare in Grey” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Nightmare in Green” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Nightmare in White” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Nightmare in Yellow” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“The Ring of Hans Carvel” (Nightmares and Geezenstacks, 1961)

“Before She Kills” (Ed McBain’s Mystery Book #3, 1961)

“The Assistant Murderer” (aka “Hobbyist”) (Playboy, May 1961)

“Nightmare in Red” (Rogue, May 1961)

“Nightmare in Time” (aka “The End”) (Rogue, May 1961)

“Of Time and Eustace Weaver” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, June 1961)

1962

Artist Unknown

Five-Day Nightmare (1962)

” Fatal Facsimile” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, September 1962)

“Puppet Show” (Playboy, November 1962)

“Aelurophobe” (1962) (Paradox Lost and Twelve Other Great Science Fiction Stories (1973)

1963

Artist unknown

Mrs. Murphy’s Underpants (1963)

Artist Unknown

The Shaggy Dog and Other Murders (1963)

“Double Standard” (aka “The Passionate Kiss”) (Playboy, April 1963)

“Instant Novellas” (aka”20 Stories in 60 Lines”) (Rogue, April-July 1963)

“It Didn’t Happen” (Playboy, October 1963)

Art by Oscar Liebman

“Tale of the Flesh Monger” (The Gent, October 1963)

“Toward a Definition of Science Fiction” (Fantasy & Science Fiction, October 1963)

“The Missing Actor” (The Saint Mystery Magazine, November 1963)

“Ten Percenter” (1963) (Paradox Lost and Twelve Other Great Science Fiction Stories (1973)

1964

Historias para no dormir – Spain (1964)

“Blood” (with Philip Harbottle) (Zenith #5, 1964)

“Why, Benny, Why” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, November 1964)

1965

“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” (with Carl Onspaugh) (Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 1965)

1966

Artist Unknown

“Beware of the Dog” (reprinted in Edgar Wallace Mystery Magazine, March 1966)

“Necktie Party” (Fantasy Illustrated #5, Spring 1966)

“Blood” (Fantasy Illustrated #6, Summer/Fall 1966)

“Abominable” (Fantasy Illustrated #6, Summer/Fall 1966)

1968

Art by Howard Winters

Daymares (1968)

1969

Captain Kirk and the Gorn

“Arena” (Star Trek, January 19, 1969

1970

L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970) – The Screaming Mimi

1973

Art by Wendell Minor

Paradox Lost and Twelve other great Science Fiction Stories (1973)

1974

Art by Virgil Finlay

“Abominable” (reprinted in The Black Mask, August 1974)

Art by John Buscema and Dick Giordano

“Arena” (Worlds Unknown #4, November 1974) (reprinted in Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction Giant Size Special #1, 1976)

1975

L’Ibis rouge – France (May 21, 1975) – Knock Three-One-Two

1977

Art by Richard Corben

The Best of Fredric Brown (1977)

Art by Berni Wrightson

“Four Classic Martians” Creepy #87 (March 1977) Script by Nick Cuti

1982

Art by Tim White

The Best Short Stories of Fredric Brown (1982)

1984

Art by William L. McMillan

Homicide Sanitarium (1984)

Artist Unknown

Before She Kills (1984)

Artist Unknown

Madman’s Holiday (1984)

1985

The Case of the Dancing Sandwiches (1984)

Artist Unknown

“Answer” (reprinted in Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone Magazine, October 1984)

1985

Artist Unknown

Carnival of Crime (The Best Mystery Stories of Fredric Brown) (1985)

Artist Unknown

The Freak Show Murders (1985)

Barbara Williams and John Shea

Alfred Hitchcock Presents“The Human Interest Story” (November 17, 1985)

1986

Art by William L. McMillan

Thirty Corpses Every Thursday (1986)

Art by William l. McMillan and Joe Servello

Pardon My Ghoulish Laughter (1986)

Art by William L. McMillan

Red is the Hue of Hell (1986)

Art by Phil Foglio

Sex Lie on the Planet Mars (1986)

“How Tagrid Got There” (Sex Life on the Planet Mars (1986)

1987

Geometria (1987) directed by Guillermo Del Toro – based on “Naturally”

Art by Joe Servello

Brother Monster (1987)

Art by Joe Servello

Nightmare in Darkness (1987)

Art by Frank Kelly Freas

And the Gods Laughed (1987)

1988

Art by Joe Servello

Who Was That Blonde I Saw You Kill Last Night? (1988)

Art by Joe Servello

Three-Corpse Parlay (1988)

Art by Joe Servello

Selling Death Short (1988)

1989

Art by Joe Servello

Whispering Death (1989)

1990

Art by Joe Servello

Happy Ending (1990)

Art by Joe Servello

The Water-Walker (1990)

I prodosia – Greece (1990)

Martians, Go Home (1990) directed by David Odell and starring Randy Quaid

1991

Art by Joe Servello

 

The Gibbering Night (1991)

Art by Joe Servello

The Pickled Punks (1991)

1993

Vieille canaille – France (January 6, 1993) – His Name Was Death

Art by Gary Dumm

Martians and Misplaced Clues: The Life and Work of Fredric Brown by Jack Seabrook (1993)

1998

Ça ne se refuse pas – France (August 12, 1998)

2000

La bête de miséricorde – France (October 17, 2000)

2001

Art by Bob Eggleton

From These Ashes: The Complete SF of Fredric Brown (2001)

2007

Artist Unknown

Daymare and Other Tales From the Pulps

2009

Two Timer

2010

Artist Unknown

Happy Ending (with Mack Reynolds)

2012

Art by Michelle Policicchio

Miss Darkness: The Great Short Crime Fiction of Fredric Brown (2012)

2013

Art by AlienCat / Fotolia

The Fredric Brown Megapack: 33 Classic Tales of Science Fiction and Fantasy (2013)

2014

Art by Innovari / Folotia

The Second Fredric Brown Megapack: 27 Classic Science Fiction Stories (2014)

From Analog, June 1960 Art by Edd Cartier

 

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3 Comments Posted

  1. I had no idea he’d written that many stories and novels, nor that so many of them were adapted for TV & film! The Mind Thing is an old favourite, and in the sixties I had copies of many of Brown’s paperbacks, including non-SF/F ones, like The Screaming Mimi, but also the collections, like Nightmares & Geezenstacks, Honeymoon in Hell, etc.
    Glad to see he’s not forgotten!

  2. I first found the Science Fiction stories of Fred Brown way back in the 1950’s and fell in love with them, later I discovered his mystery novels and enjoyed them just as much. A wonderful addition to any collection

  3. While in recent years the cover usually reads ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE, the legal title on the colophon and the only title the magazine had for more than a half-century, very much including Brown’s years as contributor, was ELLERY QUEEN’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE.

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