Van Powell

Ardon Van Buren Powell was an American screenwriter in the early years of the movies industry and later a writer of adventure books for boys. He wrote as both A. Van Buren Powell and Van Powell.

Not to be confused with William Nowland Van Powell.
Ardon Van Buren Powell
Born(1886-03-31)March 31, 1886
DiedAugust 20, 1962(1962-08-20) (aged 76)
Pen nameVan Powell
GenreAdventure

Biography

Ardon Van Buren Powell was born in Macon, Georgia and moved to New York with his family as a child. Despite being visually impaired from birth, he pursued a career as a writer of comedies in the silent film industry. From 1912 to 1921, Powell worked in the film industry in New York City. Some of his credits were screen adaptations of works by other writers including O. Henry and James Oliver Curwood. When the movie industry largely moved to California, Powell remained in New York and began writing adventure novels for boys.[1][2]

In the early 1940s, with his vision almost completely gone, Powell changed careers and became an insurance broker in Vineland, New Jersey. He resided in the town for the last 35 years of his life, the final 17 of them in a home for the handicapped.[3]

Powell died in Vineland on August 20, 1962. According to his obituary, he was the author of 22 books.[4]

Filmography

Included among Powell's 47 movies credits are:

  • 1917: Sally in a Hurry
  • 1917: Clover’s Rebellion
  • 1918: Everybody's Girl
  • 1918: A Madison Square Arabian Night
  • 1919: The Girl-Woman
  • 1921: Princess Jones

Bibliography
  • The Photoplay Synopsis (1919)

The Mystery Boys Series
  • The Mystery Boys and The Chinese Jewells (1931)
  • The Mystery Boys and Captain Kidd’s Message (1931)
  • The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold (1931)
  • The Mystery Boys and the Hindu Treasure (1931)
  • The Mystery Boys and the Secret of the Golden Sun (1931)

The Bud Bright Series
  • Bud Bright, Boy Detective
  • Bud Bright and the Drug Ring
  • Bud Bright and the Kidnappers
  • Bud Bright and the Bank Robbers (1929)
  • Bud Bright and the Counterfeiters (1931)

Sky Scout Series

(First published by A. L. Burt, later reprinted by Saalfield Publishing as the "Air Mystery" series.)

  • The Call of the Clouds
  • Ace of the Airways
  • The Haunted Hanger
  • The Mystery Crash
  • The Ghost of Mystery Airport (1932)
  • The Vanishing Airliner (1932)

Other works
  • Racket Busters
  • The Mystery of the 15 Sounds

References
  1. The DAILY JOURNAL newspaper, Vineland, New Jersey, October 17, 1960, 3.
  2. Motion Picture News Studio Directory. Motion Picture News Inc. 1917. p. 62.
  3. The DAILY JOURNAL newspaper, Vineland, New Jersey, September 17, 1941, 9.
  4. The ATLANTIC CITY PRESS newspaper, Atlantic City, New Jersey, August 21, 1962, page 9


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