Irving Wallace was born in Chicago on March 19, 1916, and was raised in Kenosha,
Wisconsin. He attended school at Washington High School, where he began his writing
career. Wallace began selling stories to magazines when he was a teenager. After
serving in World War II, he continued to write for magazines, but soon turned to a
more lucrative job as a Hollywood screenwriter. He then devoted his time writing
books, many of which became best sellers and adapted for film. In 1968, he donated a
collection of his works, along with articles, bibliographical material, and personal
mementos to UW-Parkside. Wallace died on June 29, 1990.
