Richard Edward Connell Jr. was an American author, screenwriter, and journalist. One of the most popular short story writers of his time, he is best known for his 1924 story "The Most Dangerous Game." His stories were published in The Saturday Evening Post, The Century Magazine, and Collier's. He had equal success as a journalist and screenwriter and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1942 for Best Story for the 1941 film Meet John Doe, directed by Frank Capra and based on his 1922 short story "A Reputation."