17 Facts About Roy McCardell

Roy Larcom McCardell was an American journalist, scenarist, humorist and writer.

Roy McCardell's father was the editor of the Hagerstown Mail.

When his father became the editor of the Evening Times in Cumberland, Maryland, the family moved there, where Roy attended school until he was twelve.

Roy McCardell then started writing for his father's newspaper before becoming a regular contributor to Puck, the leading American satirical magazine.

Roy McCardell moved to Birmingham, Alabama at age 17 to work as a reporter for the Age-Herald.

Roy McCardell then moved on to the New York World and finally became a staff member of Puck.

Roy McCardell worked as an editor for a number of newspapers and magazines, including the New York Morning Telegraph and the Metropolitan Magazine.

Roy McCardell wrote a number of syndicated serialised articles, most famously the daily Jarr Family which appeared in several hundred newspapers.

In 1896, when Roy McCardell learned that the New York World had acquired a color press, he suggested that they use it to produce a comic supplement.

In 1897 Roy McCardell began writing movie scenarios, eventually finishing over a thousand scripts.

Roy McCardell has been credited as the first person hired by a movie company, in this case American Mutoscope and Biograph Company in 1900, to produce stories.

Roy McCardell's best-known scenario was A Fool There Was, popularizing the movie vampire.

Roy McCardell appeared as himself in the extended version of the Winsor McCay animated movie Gertie the Dinosaur.

Roy McCardell spent most of his time on movie writing and on maintaining the Jarr Family serial.

Roy McCardell spent most of his adult life in New Rochelle, New York.

Roy McCardell's daughter Frances, born in 1892, was an expert automobile driver by age 14, when she won a Cadillac.

Roy McCardell eloped at age 18 with a wealthy 30-year-old man.