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Latter-day Saint Authors
of Books or Stories
Made into Films

These are authors of books or stories adapted to film. A book's title is given if it is different from the film title.

Authors are ONLY listed here if they are not also listed in the screenwriters list: The authors on this page did not write any scripts or screenplays that were produced as films. Other writers and filmmakers adapted their writing.

NOTE that films listed in this color are made-for-television movies or miniseries.

Separate page: Photographs of these Authors

Raymond F. Jones, author:
This Island Earth (1955)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996; This Island Earth is the "film within a film")

Yes, there really is a decades-old Jack Weyland movie!

Jack Weyland? Prior to the big screen realization of Weyland's popular novel Charly (theatrical release in 2002), there was no Jack Weyland movie, you might be thinking. Ah, but there is! And you've probably seen it. Remember the video about the football team that, as a joke, decides to give an "award" to the ugliest girl in school? The film had a very clear moral to it -- about not judging people based on their appearance.

Yes, the "film" looked like it was shot with a home video camera by high school students. But it's a classic. And it was based on a story written by Jack Weyland and published in the New Era in 1979. You can even read the story on the official Church web site (www.lds.org): The Award. Another Church video was based on Weyland's short story "The Phone Call."

You knew the author. You knew the videos. You just hadn't put the two together.

Jack Weyland, author:
Jack Weyland's Charly (2002)
The Award (1985; V)
The Phone Call (1977; sv)

John H. Groberg, author:
The Other Side of Heaven (2001; memoirs: In the Eye of the Storm)

Gerald N. Lund, author:
Pillar of Light: The Work and the Glory (2004)

Robert Farrell Smith, author:
Baptists at Our Barbecue (2004)

Travis Walton, co-author:
Fire in the Sky (1993)

Sheldon Rampton, co-author:
WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception (2004; d; book: Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq)

James C. Christensen, author/illustrator:
Voyage of the Unicorn (2001; Hallmark Ent. mini; Odyssey; book: Voyage of the Basset)

Shelly Brady, author:
Door to Door (2001; TNT; Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter)

Beatrice Sparks, author:
Go Ask Alice (1973; ABC)

Zenna Henderson, author:
The People (1972; w/ William Shatner; book: Pilgrimage: The Book of the People)

Randy Jernigan, author:
No Regrets (s; HBO; from same-titled story in his book This Thing Called Love)

A. Melvin McDonald, author:
Day of Defense (2003; V)

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, author:
A Midwife's Tale (1996; PBS; website)

Richard Paul Evans, author:
The Locket (2002)
Timepiece (1996)
The Christmas Box (1995)

Anne Perry, author:
The Cater Street Hangman (1998)

Richard M. Siddoway, author:
The Christmas Wish (1998; CBS)

Hartt Wixom and Judene Wixom, authors:
To Save the Children (1994; CBS; book: When Angels Intervene)

Olive Osmond, author:
Side by Side: The True Story of the Osmond Family (1982)

Douglas Thayer and Donlu Thayer, authors:
Only Once (1998; V; book: Greg & Kellie)

Herbert Harker, author:
Goldenrod (1976)

Blaine Yorgason and Brent Yorgason, authors:
Windwalker (1980; Blaine only)
The Thanksgiving Promise (1986)

Brett Helquist, book illustrator/series co-creator:
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Chris Oyler, author:
Go Toward the Light (1988)

Todd F. Cope, story:
The Last Dance (2000; book: The Shift)

Lael J. Littke, story:
Seasons of the Heart (1993; V)

Robert C. Freeman and Dennis A. Wright, authors:
Saints and Soldiers (2003; movie inspired by Saints at War)
Saints at War (PBS; 2001)

Mike Allred, comic book writer/artist/creator:
G-Men from Hell (2000)

Mark and Caralyn Buehner, illustrator/author:
Fanny's Dream (v)

Darl Larsen, story:
The Snell Show (2002; s)

James LeVoy Sorenson, author:
Balance (2002; sd; book: Finding True Balance)

Richard A. Dove, story author:
Turn Here (2001; s)

Lee Christensen, story author:
The Gate (2002; s)

Orson Scott Card, author:
Ender's Game (2006?)

Gary Stewart, author:
Avenging Angel (1995)

Virginia Sorenson, author:
A Loss of Innocence (1996; book: On This Star)

John Ulrich ("J.U.") Giesy: *
Playing with Fire (1921)
Pink Tights (1920)
The Kaiser's Shadow (1918)
The Cabaret (1918)
Eyes of Mystery (1918)
The Matrimaniac (1916)

Jack Dempsey, author: 1
Dempsey (1983; from autobiography)

Judith Freeman, author: 1
The Gift of Love (1994; book: Set For Life)

Bernard De Voto, author: 1
Across the Wide Missouri (1951)

John D. Fitzgerald, author: 1
The Great Brain (1978)

Vardis Fisher, author: 1
Jeremiah Johnson (1972; book: Mountain Man)
Brigham Young - Frontiersman (1940; book: Children of God)


Click here for additional notes and key to abbreviations.

* Name with asterisk: Published biographical sketch doesn't mention religious affilation, but author is from and/or lives in an area of Utah in which at least 70% of the population are Latter-day Saints.

"Latter-day Saints" here refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as others of Mormon ethnicity. Nearly all of the authors listed on this page are/were active Church members, but some were not. Jack Dempsy, for instance: His birth name was "William Harrison Dempsey." He became known by the nickname "Jack" because of his status as a "Jack Mormon" (non-practicing Latter-day Saint).

Web page separated from main Latter-day Saint filmmakers page on 12 October 2001. Last modified 2 March 2005.

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