Lester Dent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lester Dent
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| Born | October 12, 1904 La Plata, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | March 11, 1959 (aged 54) La Plata, Missouri, U.S.
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| Occupation | Writer |
| Parent(s) | Alice Norfolk, Bernard Dent |
| Awards | Inkpot Award (1977) |
Lester Dent (born October 12, 1904 – died March 11, 1959) was an American writer. He was famous for writing stories for pulp magazines. These were inexpensive magazines printed on cheap paper. Dent is best known for creating and writing the popular series of novels about a scientist and adventurer named Doc Savage. He wrote 159 Doc Savage novels over 16 years. These books were published under the special writing name, or house name, Kenneth Robeson.
Contents
The Life of Lester Dent
Early Adventures
Lester Dent was born in 1904 in La Plata, Missouri. He was the only child of Bernard Dent, a rancher, and Alice Norfolk, who used to be a teacher. His parents had lived in Wyoming for a while. They returned to Missouri so his mother could be with her family when Lester was born.
In 1906, the Dent family moved back to Wyoming. They lived on a ranch near Pumpkin Buttes. Lester spent his early years in the quiet hills of Wyoming. He went to a small, one-room school. Sometimes, he paid for his lessons with furs he had caught. He didn't have many friends. This early time alone might have helped him become a great storyteller.
Around 1919, the Dent family moved back to La Plata for good. Lester's father started a dairy farm there. Lester finished his school education in La Plata.
Becoming a Telegraph Operator
In 1923, Lester went to Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri. He first wanted to be a banker. But while waiting in line, he learned that a telegraph operator earned more money. So, he decided to study telegraphy instead. After finishing his course, he taught at the college for a short time.
In 1924, Dent became a telegraph operator for Western Union. He worked in Carrollton, Missouri. In 1925, he moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma. There, he worked for Empire Oil and Gas Company. In Ponca City, he met Norma Gerling, who would become his wife. They got married on August 9, 1925.
Starting a Writing Career
In 1926, the Dents moved to Chickasha, Oklahoma. Lester worked as a telegrapher for the Associated Press. One of his co-workers had a story published in a pulp magazine. This story earned a lot of money for that time, $450. Lester loved reading pulp magazines. He felt sure he could write just as well, or even better. He used his quiet night shifts to write. His first story, "Pirate Cay," was an action-adventure tale. It appeared in Top Notch magazine in September 1929.
Soon after, a company called Dell Publishing in New York City contacted Dent. They offered him $500 a month to write only for their magazines. Lester was surprised by this great offer. He accepted and moved to New York on January 1, 1931. He quickly learned how to write fast and well for pulp magazines. When Dell stopped publishing pulp magazines in May 1931, Dent went back to Missouri. But he soon returned to New York to write for other publishers.
Creating Doc Savage
In 1932, Henry Ralston from Street & Smith asked Dent to create a new magazine. Ralston had great success with The Shadow magazine. He wanted another magazine with a main hero. This idea excited Dent, who loved adventure stories. Dent was paid $500 per novel, which later increased to $750. He agreed to the offer, even though his stories would be published under the name Kenneth Robeson.
The first Doc Savage magazine came out in February 1933. Within six months, it was one of the most popular pulp magazines. Much of its success came from Dent's amazing imagination. He was always curious and loved to learn new things. His new financial freedom allowed him to explore many interests.
A Life of Learning and Adventure
Lester Dent was a wide reader. He also took courses in technology and different trades. He earned both his amateur radio and pilot license. He passed exams to become an electrician and a plumber. He was also a keen mountain climber. He would learn a subject completely, then move to another.
For example, he loved boating. In May 1934, Dent bought a 40-foot, two-masted boat called Albatross. It was a Chesapeake Bay "bugeye" schooner. He and his wife lived on it for several years. They sailed along the eastern coast and even searched for sunken treasure in the Caribbean. They sold the boat in 1940.
The Dents traveled a lot. This earned Lester a membership in the Explorers Club. He was elected to the club in November 1936. He used his membership to get ideas for his stories from other experienced members.
Later Writing and Legacy
In 1940, the Dents returned to La Plata for good. Lester kept writing for Doc Savage. He also wrote stories in other styles, like mystery and western. His later Doc Savage novels became more like mysteries. Doc Savage himself started to seem more human, not just a superhero.
Doc Savage magazine stopped publishing in 1949. Lester Dent wrote most of the 179 Doc Savage novels published under the name Kenneth Robeson. Only one issue, "The Derelict of Skull Shoal" in March 1944, accidentally used Lester Dent's real name. After Doc Savage, Dent continued to write successful mystery and western stories. His last short story, "Savage Challenge," was a Western published in 1958. His last novel, Lady in Peril, came out the month he died.
Lester Dent had a heart attack in February 1959. He died on March 11, 1959, and is buried in the La Plata cemetery.
The Lester and Norma Dent House was recognized as a historic place in 1990. After his death, Lester Dent's stories continued to be popular. Many of his older works have been reprinted. New, previously unpublished stories have also been found and released.
Lester Dent in Other Stories
Lester Dent appears as a character in some novels. He is in Paul Malmont's book The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril (2006). He also appears in the sequel, The Astounding, the Amazing, and the Unknown (2011). These books describe the friendships and rivalries among pulp writers in the 1930s. Another writer, Walter B. Gibson, who created The Shadow, also appears in these books.
Dent also shows up in Craig McDonald's novel The Running Kind (2014). This book mentions Dent's love for ham radio and taking pictures from the air around 1950.
Lester Dent's Writing Formula
Lester Dent had a famous guide for writing a good 6,000-word pulp story. It's often called the "Lester Dent Formula." Many writers, like Michael Moorcock, have suggested it to new authors.
The formula helps you structure your story:
- Part One (first 1,500 words): Get your hero into a lot of trouble. Introduce all your main characters and themes.
- Part Two (next 1,500 words): Double the trouble for your hero. Make things even worse.
- Part Three (next 1,500 words): Put your hero in so much trouble that it seems impossible for them to escape. Develop your themes and characters further.
- Part Four (last 1,500 words): Resolve all the problems. Your hero finds a way out and finishes the story.
See also
- List of Doc Savage novels
