Theodore R. Cogswell
American writer 1918-1987
About Theodore R. Cogswell
Lived 1918 – 1987 (aged 68). Theodore R. Cogswell was an American novelist, science fiction writer, screenwriter and writer.
"Meddler's World", a novelette by Cogswell and Mack Reynolds, was the cover story on the November 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly.
Theodore Rose Cogswell (March 10, 1918 – February 3, 1987) was an American science fiction author.
Profile During the Spanish Civil War, Cogswell served as an ambulance driver for the Republicans as part of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. He later served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during WWII, where he flew cargo planes over the Burma Road hump, and was discharged with the rank of Captain.
His earliest work to be published in a genre magazine, the novella, "The Spectre General" in Astounding (June 1952), was a humorous story concerning the long-forgotten maintenance brigade of the Imperial Space Marines of a Galactic empire. It was selected as one of the genre's best novellas by members of the Science Fiction Writers of America and reprinted in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
Cogswell authored nearly 40 science fiction stories, most of them humorous, and co-authored Spock, Messiah!, one of the earliest novels tied in to the Star Trek franchise. He was also the editor of the long-running "fanzine for pros", Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies. An anthology of selections from PITCS was published by NESFA Press in 1993. Here, writers and editors discussed their own, and other's, works.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
more
Theodore Rose “Espy” CogswellPeople in Theodore R. Cogswell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Theodore R. Cogswell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Theodore R. Cogswell?
American writer 1918-1987
When was Theodore R. Cogswell born?
Theodore R. Cogswell was born on 10 March 1918 in Coatesville.
When did Theodore R. Cogswell die?
Theodore R. Cogswell died on 3 February 1987 in Scranton.
What was Theodore R. Cogswell's occupation?
Theodore R. Cogswell was a novelist, science fiction writer, screenwriter and writer.
What nationality was Theodore R. Cogswell?
Theodore R. Cogswell was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Theodore R. Cogswell
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Theodore R. Cogswell. https://biography.guide/theodore-r-cogswell/
MLA: "Theodore R. Cogswell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/theodore-r-cogswell/.
Chicago: "Theodore R. Cogswell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/theodore-r-cogswell/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC