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