O'Dell, Scott, 1898-1989

Scott O'Dell worked behind the camera for MGM and Paramount and as a book columnist and editor before becoming a full-time author of adult fiction in 1934. His first YA book, Island of the Blue Dolphins, won the 1961 Newberry. He also won several Newbery Honor Awards, the William Allen White, the Nene, the Jugendbuchpreis (twice), and was the second American to garner the Hans Christian Andersen medal.

From the description of Black Star, Bright Dawn : production material, 1988. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375069

From the description of Sarah Bishop : production material, 1980. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496902

From the description of The amethyst ring : production material, 1983. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496896

From the description of The black pearl : production material, 1967. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62518344

From the description of Zia : production material, 1976. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439327

From the description of The 290 : production material, 1976. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439326

From the description of Thunder rolling in the mountains : production material, 1992. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439324

From the description of Alexandra : production material, 1984. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496895

From the description of The feathered serpent : production material, 1981. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496897

From the description of The serpent never sleeps : a novel of Jamestown and Pocahontas : production material, 1987. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496903

From the description of The Spanish smile : production material, 1982. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62496904

From the description of The road to Damietta : production material, 1985. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439321

From the description of The castle in the sea : production material, 1983. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62518345

From the description of Kathleen, please come home : production material, 1978. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439317

From the description of My name is not Angelica : production material, 1989. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62518351

From the description of The treasure of Topo-el-Bampo : production material, 1972. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62518352

From the description of The captive : production material, 1979. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62682618

From the description of Child of fire : production material, 1974. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62682619

From the description of The psychology of children's art : production material, 1967. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62682621

From the description of The King's fifth : production material, 1966. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62682620

From the description of Streams to the river, river to the sea : a novel of Sacagawea : production material, 1986. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62682622

From the description of The dark canoe : production material, 1968. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375071

From the description of Sing down the moon : production material, 1970. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375075

From the description of Carlota : production material, 1977. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375070

From the description of Island of the Blue Dolphins : production material, 1960. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375074

From the description of The hawk that dare not hunt by day : production material, 1975. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62375072

Scott O'Dell was originally born Odell Gabriel Scott on May 23, 1898 in Los Angeles, California. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Army during World War I. Upon returning to California he worked for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Mirror. He released his first novel for adults, Woman of Spain: A Story of Old California, in 1934. He was convinced by his friend, the children's author Maud Lovelace, to turn his manuscript about the legend of "The Lost Woman of San Nicholas Island" into a book for children. Published in 1960, Island of the Blue Dolphins became a worldwide success and went on to win the Newbery Medal and was adapted into a motion picture. He wrote twenty-five novels for children before passing away on October 15, 1989.

From the description of Scott O'Dell papers, 1959-1978. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 775928683

American children's author, born in Los Angeles, CA in 1903. He won the Newbery Medal for Island of the blue dolphins in 1961.

From the description of Papers, 1969-1979. (University of Southern Mississippi, Regional Campus). WorldCat record id: 26136027

Scott O'Dell (1898-1989) was a technical director for Paramount and a cameraman for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer before becoming a writer of books for young adults and adults. He published his first novel in 1934 and thereafter was engaged primarily in writing. From 1947 to 1955 he was book review editor for the Los Angeles Daily news.

From the description of Scott O'Dell papers, 1966-1976. (University of Oregon Libraries). WorldCat record id: 123296674

Scott O'Dell was a technical director for Paramount Studios, book columnist for the Los Angeles Mirror, book editor for the Los Angeles Daily News, and a full time writer, beginning in 1934. In addition to receiving several Newbery Honor Awards, O'Dell was awarded the Newbery Medal (1961), the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, the Young People Notable Book Award, two German Juvenile International Awards, the Hawaiian Library Assn. Nene Award, the OMAR award, and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1972).

From the description of Papers, 1960-1992. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63291953

Scott O’Dell (May 23, 1898-October 15, 1989) was born Odell Gabriel Scott in Los Angeles, Ca. Scott O’Dell married twice, to Jane Rattenbury and to Elizabeth Hall with whom he had two children. O’Dell attended Occidental College in 1919, University of Wisconsin in 1920, Stanford University from 1920-1921, and University of Rome in 1925. He was a member of the Authors Guild.

He formerly worked as a technical director for Paramount and as a cameraman for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He also grew citrus fruit and taught a mail-order course in photoplay writing. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force, 1942-1943. In 1934 he published his first novel, Woman of Spain: A Story of Old California, and thereafter he was engaged primarily in writing. From 1947 until 1955 he was book review editor for the Los Angeles Daily News, and he continued to release book-length works for adults. His first novel for teens, Island of the Blue Dolphins, appeared in 1960. He died of prostate cancer in Mount Kisco, N.Y.

From the guide to the Scott O'Dell papers, 1966-1976, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)

Scott O’Dell was originally born Odell Gabriel Scott on May 23, 1898 in Los Angeles, California. His father, Bennett Mason Scott, worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and the family frequently moved throughout Southern California during his childhood. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the Army during World War I. He then attended several universities including Occidental College, University of Wisconsin, and Stanford University. He worked for Paramount Pictures as a cameraman on the 1925 version of Ben Hur, shot in Rome, Italy. He stayed in Rome to study writing at the University of Rome La Sapienza. Upon returning to California he worked for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Mirror. He released his first novel for adults, Woman of Spain: A Story of Old California, in 1934. He finished two more novels and then became the book editor for the Los Angeles Daily News. A typesetter at the paper mistakenly transposed his name and O’Dell liked it so much that he had it legally changed.

He was convinced by his friend, the children’s author Maud Lovelace, to turn his manuscript about the legend of “The Lost Woman of San Nicholas Island” into a book for children. Published in 1960, Island of the Blue Dolphins became a worldwide success and went on to win the Newbery Medal and was adapted into a motion picture. He continued writing historical fiction for children, winning the Newbery Honor Book for his next two novels, The King’s Fifth (1966) and The Black Pearl (1967). In 1981, he established the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, which recognized outstanding works in historical fiction. He wrote twenty-five novels for children before passing away on October 15, 1989.

Bibliography

Children’s Literature Review, vol. 126.

Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol. 52.

Something About the Author, vol. 60.

"Scott O’Dell," Wikipedia, accessed December 19, 2011, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_O'Dell.

From the guide to the Scott O'Dell papers, 1959-1978, (Free Library of Philadelphia: Children's Literature Research Collection)