Editor · November 1924–March 1940

Farnsworth Wright

The defining editor of the classic run. One hundred seventy-nine issues, from November 1924 through March 1940.


Wright was born 29 July 1888 in Santa Barbara, California, and died 12 June 1940 in Manhattan. He had been first reader under Baird. The first issue to list him as editor is dated November 1924.

Under his editorship the magazine ran Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, C. L. Moore, Seabury Quinn, Robert Bloch, Henry Kuttner, and the cover artists Margaret Brundage, Virgil Finlay, and Hannes Bok. He had Parkinson’s disease from about 1921; the symptoms worsened through the 1930s.

William J. Delaney acquired the magazine in 1938. Wright’s last issue as editor is dated March 1940. Dorothy McIlwraith’s first issue followed in April 1940.

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The Unlocking Shelf Editorial run Title Role Issues Status Weird Tales Editor November 1924–March 1940 — Public domain Weird Tales fiction (including as Francis Hard). Verse and translations omitted. Title First publication Cycle Status The Closing Hand Weird Tales, March 1923 — Public domain The Snake Fiend Weird Tales, April 1923 — Public domain The Teak-Wood Shrine Weird Tales, September 1923 — Public domain An Adventure in the Fourth Dimension Weird Tales, October 1923 — Public domain Poisoned Weird Tales, November 1923 — Public domain The Great Panjandrum Weird Tales, November 1924 (as Francis Hard) — Public domain Two Crows Weird Tales, January 1925 (as Francis Hard) — Public domain The Dark Pool Weird Tales, April 1925 (as Francis Hard) — Public domain The Death Angel Weird Tales, September 1925 (as Francis Hard) — Public domain The Evening Star Weird Tales, March 1926 (as Francis Hard) — Public domain

The Unlocking Shelf

Editorial run

TitleRoleIssues
Weird TalesEditorNovember 1924–March 1940

Weird Tales fiction

Including as Francis Hard. Verse and translations omitted.

TitleFirst publicationCycle
An Adventure in the Fourth DimensionWeird Tales, October 1923
PoisonedWeird Tales, November 1923
The Closing HandWeird Tales, March 1923
The Snake FiendWeird Tales, April 1923
The Teak-Wood ShrineWeird Tales, September 1923
The Great PanjandrumWeird Tales, November 1924 (as Francis Hard)
The Dark PoolWeird Tales, April 1925 (as Francis Hard)
The Death AngelWeird Tales, September 1925 (as Francis Hard)
Two CrowsWeird Tales, January 1925 (as Francis Hard)
The Evening StarWeird Tales, March 1926 (as Francis Hard)