Edwin Balmer

Edwin Balmer (July 26, 1883 – March 21, 1959) was an American science fiction and mystery writer.

Balmer was born in Chicago to Helen Clark (Pratt) and Thomas Balmer. In 1909, he married Katharine MacHarg, sister of the writer William MacHarg. After her death, he married Grace A. Kee in 1927.

He began as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune in 1903 before writing for books and magazines. He was editor of Redbook (1927-1949) and later became associate publisher. Balmer was talented at inventing strong story lines. He would then commission young writers to write up these ideas for inclusion in Redbook.

He died on March 21, 1959 at age 75.

Together with author Philip Wylie, he wrote the catastrophe novels When Worlds Collide (1933) and After Worlds Collide (1934). The former was made into an award-winning 1951 movie by George Pal.

Balmer also helped create (with artist Marvin Bradley) the syndicated comic strip Speed Spaulding, partially based on the Worlds Collide series, which ran from 1938 through 1941 in the comic book Famous Funnies.

Balmer also wrote several detective novels and collaborated with William MacHarg on The Achievements of Luther Trant (1910), an early collection of detective short stories.

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