WRITER

Johnston McCulley

1883 - 1958

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John William Johnston McCulley (February 2, 1883 – November 23, 1958) was an American writer of hundreds of stories, fifty novels and numerous screenplays for film and television, and the creator of the character Zorro. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Johnston McCulley has received more than 349,322 page views. His biography is available in 18 different languages on Wikipedia. Johnston McCulley is the 1,879th most popular writer (up from 2,354th in 2019), the 2,372nd most popular biography from United States (up from 3,036th in 2019) and the 210th most popular American Writer.

Memorability Metrics

  • 350k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 56.63

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 18

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 5.62

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 1.93

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Notable Works

The masked woman
Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
The masked woman called herself Madame Madcap, and she gathered a gang of cutthroats determined to loot high society of all its riches . . . starting with the notorious womanizer Hamilton Brone. She worked her criminal magic . . . and grew rich as millionaires swooned at her feet. Members of her gang worshipped her. She could do no wrong. And yet a curious pattern began to emerge, and a strange vengeance took shape -- not just against the men of high society, but against the men of her own brave band of criminals! A thrilling crime novel from the classic pulp writer who created Zorro!
1920
The Avenging Twins Collect
2007
The Black Star
1921
Slave of Mystery and Other Tales of Suspense from the Pulps
2006
The mark of Zorro
Aristocracy (Social class), Classic Literature, Fiction
The rousing adventure that gave birth to one of popular culture's most enduring iconsOriginally titled The Curse of Capistrano in its 1919 debut, this exciting tale achieved immortal fame thanks to Douglas Fairbanks's 1920 blockbuster film, The Mark of Zorro-a cinematic triumph that inspired Johnston McCulley to retitle his novel and dedicate it to Fairbanks. Set in Mexican California during the 1820s, the story follows the career of Don Diego Vega, by all appearances an effete and foppish aristocrat. But Vega's timorous reputation is nothing more than a mask to conceal his alter ego: a California Robin Hood known as Zorro, whose swift blade strikes down those who exploit the poor and oppressed. The inspiration for dozens of film and television adaptations, The Mark of Zorro remains a paradigm of swashbuckling adventure.First time in Penguin ClassicsIncludes an introduction and filmography
1924
Zorro
2000
The Curse of Capistrano
Aristocracy (Social class), Classic Literature, Fiction
The rousing adventure that gave birth to one of popular culture's most enduring iconsOriginally titled The Curse of Capistrano in its 1919 debut, this exciting tale achieved immortal fame thanks to Douglas Fairbanks's 1920 blockbuster film, The Mark of Zorro-a cinematic triumph that inspired Johnston McCulley to retitle his novel and dedicate it to Fairbanks. Set in Mexican California during the 1820s, the story follows the career of Don Diego Vega, by all appearances an effete and foppish aristocrat. But Vega's timorous reputation is nothing more than a mask to conceal his alter ego: a California Robin Hood known as Zorro, whose swift blade strikes down those who exploit the poor and oppressed. The inspiration for dozens of film and television adaptations, The Mark of Zorro remains a paradigm of swashbuckling adventure.First time in Penguin ClassicsIncludes an introduction and filmography
1924
The Masked Woman (Wildside Pulp Classics)
Fiction, mystery & detective, women sleuths, Fiction, Mystery
The masked woman called herself Madame Madcap, and she gathered a gang of cutthroats determined to loot high society of all its riches . . . starting with the notorious womanizer Hamilton Brone. She worked her criminal magic . . . and grew rich as millionaires swooned at her feet. Members of her gang worshipped her. She could do no wrong. And yet a curious pattern began to emerge, and a strange vengeance took shape -- not just against the men of high society, but against the men of her own brave band of criminals! A thrilling crime novel from the classic pulp writer who created Zorro!
1920
Black Stars Campaign
1919
The rangers' code
1924
Zorro
Fiction, historical, general, Fiction, action & adventure
2000
The Black Star
Fiction, mystery & detective, general
1921

Among WRITERS

Among writers, Johnston McCulley ranks 1,879 out of 7,302. Before him are James Ellroy, Abbot Oliba, Reşat Nuri Güntekin, Xenophon of Ephesus, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, and Doppo Kunikida. After him are Jovan Dučić, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Stig Dagerman, Victoria Ocampo, and Chuck Palahniuk.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1883, Johnston McCulley ranks 84. Before him are Prince Konrad of Bavaria, Katia Mann, Eurico Gaspar Dutra, Walter Buch, José Mendes Cabeçadas, and Walter Huston. After him are Louis Massignon, Leonid Kulik, Bertram Ramsay, Edgard Varèse, Joseph Stilwell, and Hermann Abendroth. Among people deceased in 1958, Johnston McCulley ranks 50. Before him are Viktor Schauberger, Wilhelm Zaisser, Johannes R. Becher, Florent Schmitt, Florian Znaniecki, and Mikhail Zoshchenko. After him are Ludwig Crüwell, Aarre Merikanto, Roger Byrne, Rudolf Rocker, Edward Weston, and José Miaja.

Others Born in 1883

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Others Deceased in 1958

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Johnston McCulley ranks 2,372 out of 20,380. Before him are Christine Chubbuck (1944), Sugar Ray Leonard (1956), Rob Reiner (1947), Pauley Perrette (1969), Roger Myerson (1951), and Michael Rosbash (1944). After him are Royal Rife (1888), Joanna Cassidy (1945), Carol W. Greider (1961), Betty Robinson (1911), Andy Williams (1927), and A. L. Kroeber (1876).

Others born in United States

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Among WRITERS In United States

Among writers born in United States, Johnston McCulley ranks 210. Before him are Rick Riordan (1964), Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815), Anne Sexton (1928), William Moulton Marston (1893), Paul Goodman (1911), and James Ellroy (1948). After him are Chuck Palahniuk (1962), Shirley Jackson (1916), Nora Ephron (1941), Voltairine de Cleyre (1866), Clark Ashton Smith (1893), and Robert James Waller (1939).

American born Writers

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