John K. Butler(1908-1964)
- Writer
One of the most prolific writers of B-pictures, California native John
K. Butler also pulled double duty as a pulp fiction writer. He created
one of the most memorable characters ever to grace the pages of the
Depression-era nickel and dime weeklies, namely, Steven Middleton
Knight (AKA Steve Midnight--- Butler's trademark cab driving hero of
seedy, crime-swept Los Angeles) and later, hard nosed snoop Rod Case
(introduced in 1941). His stories appeared in all the popular pulps of
the 1930s and 40s, including Black Mask, Detective Fiction Weekly,
Double Detective and especially, Dime Detective. A life-long
Californian, Butler hailed from Auburn and worked various jobs until he
concentrated on a writing career in Hollywood in the late 1920s, where
he gained a toehold position at Universal as a lowly reader during the
heady days of the sound transition period. Twice married, Butler
eventually garnered over 50 B-movie credits, half of which were
westerns. He moved over to the autocratic
Herbert J. Yates' Republic Pictures in
1942, which was fertile ground for a contract screen writer with a
talent for westerns. Butler hammered out several screenplays for
Roy Rogers and Yates' lesser oater
stars. He harbored an enthusiastic California '49'er spirit. Butler
would often don cowboy regalia and ride through Griffith Park on his
horse Prince, astonishing anyone he encountered on a trail--- and it
didn't take much prodding to get him to tell a whopper while wearing
his ten-gallon hat. Sadly, he suffered a broken back during a ride in
1964 and died far too young at age 56 later that same year.
