Robert Bloch

American fiction writer, primarily of crime, horror, fantasy and science fiction, best known as the writer of Psycho (1959), the basis for the film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock. His fondness for a pun is evident in the titles of his story collections such as Tales in a Jugular Vein, Such Stuff as Screams Are Made Of and Out of the Mouths of Graves.

He became interested in Weird Tales in 1932, and began to publish in 1934 as a contributor to sci-fi and fantasy magazines. He worked in advertising in the 1940s while writing. In 1944, he wrote 39 episodes of a radio horror show, Stay Tuned for Terror. His first novel was The Scarf, but it was Psycho that made him famous when it was made into a classic movie thriller in 1960. After his success, he moved to Hollywood and continued with teleplays, screenplays and thrillers.

He died of cancer on 23 September 1994 at age 77 in Los Angeles, California.