10 Facts About Virgil Finlay

Virgil Finlay was an American pulp fantasy, science fiction and horror illustrator.

Virgil Warden Finlay was born July 23,1914, in Rochester, New York.

Virgil Finlay created 19 color covers for Weird Tales numbers from February 1937 to March 1953.

Virgil Finlay quickly branched out to other publications after his 1935 debut; he was an immediate hit.

Virgil Finlay served in the US Army during World War II, and saw extensive combat in the South West Pacific theater, notably on Okinawa, and did posters and illustrations for the Morale Services during his three years of military service.

Virgil Finlay resumed his artistic career after demobilization, doing a considerable amount of work for science fiction magazines and books.

Virgil Finlay was named the best artist of 1945 in the 50-year Retro Hugos of 1996.

Virgil Finlay had to undergo major surgery for cancer in early 1969.

Virgil Finlay recovered enough to go back to work for a time, but the cancer returned, and Finlay died on January 18,1971, aged 56.

Roads, a fantasy novella by Seabury Quinn, first published in the January 1938 Weird Tales, and featuring a cover and interior illustrations by Virgil Finlay, was published in a very limited edition by Arkham House in 1948.