Gary Brandner

Gary Phil Brandner (May 31, 1930 – September 22, 2013) was an American horror fiction author best known for his werewolf themed trilogy of novels, The Howling. The first book of the series was adapted loosely as a motion picture in 1981. Brandner's second and third Howling novels, published in 1979 and 1985 respectively, have no association with the film series, though he was involved with writing the screenplay for the second Howling film, Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf. The fourth film of the Howling series, Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, is actually the closest adaptation of Brandner's original novel, though this too varies to some degree.

Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.

Life and career Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, more than 100 short stories, and also wrote a few screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.

He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.

Novels The Big Brain series Title Year Type Pages NotesThe Aardvark Affair 1975 novel a.k.a. The Big BrainThe Beelzebub Business 1975 novel Energy Zero 1976 novel

The Howling series Title Year Type Notes The Howling 1977 novel made into the 1981 film The Howling The Howling II 1979 novel a.k.a. Return of the Howling The Howling III: Echoes 1985 novel a.k.a. The Howling III

Standalones Title Year Type Pages Notes Living Off the Land 1971 survival The Players 1975 novel Offshore 1978 novel Walkers 1980 novel made into the television film From the Dead of Night A Rage in Paradise 1981 novel Hellborn 1981 novel Cat People 1982 film novelization based on the story by DeWitt Bodeen & screenplay by Alan Ormsby Quintana Roo 1984 novel a.k.a. Tribe of the Dead The Brain Eaters 1985 novel The Wet Good-Bye 1986 novel Carrion 1986 novel Cameron's Closet 1986 novel a.k.a. Cameron's Terror; made into the film Cameron's Closet Floater 1988 novel optioned by Empire Pictures with director Tobe Hooper attached Doomstalker 1989 novel The Boiling Pool 1995 novel Mind Grabber 1999 novel The Experiment 1999 novella Rot 1999 novel Billy Lives 2012 novel The Sterling Standard 2012 novel