Cornell Woolrich, a renowned mystery writer, was born in New York City, but his early life was marked by turmoil as his parents separated when he was young, and he spent a significant portion of his childhood in Latin America with his father. Subsequently, he was sent back to New York to live with his affluent and domineering mother, Claire, who would play a significant role in his life.
Woolrich attended Columbia University, where he began to develop his writing skills and penned his first novel, a Jazz Age-inspired piece titled "Cover Charge", which was published in 1926. He continued to write, and another novel, "Children of the Ritz", was published in 1927.
As his writing career progressed, Hollywood beckoned, and Woolrich made his way to the film industry as an uncredited screenwriter. However, his time in Hollywood proved to be unhappy, and he eventually returned to New York, where he continued to write, this time focusing on suspense stories for magazines such as "Argosy", "Black Mask", and "Thrilling Mystery".
Woolrich's writing gained popularity, and his reputation as a master of suspense grew. His stories were often adapted into films, and he became known as "the Poe of the 20th century". However, his personal life was marked by tragedy, as his mother, Claire, fell ill, and Woolrich devoted more and more of his time to her care. By the time she passed away in 1957, Woolrich was exhausted and "burned out".
The latter part of Woolrich's life was marked by loneliness, alcoholism, and poor health. He delayed seeking medical attention for his leg problems, which eventually led to the amputation of his leg due to gangrene. When he passed away in 1968, his funeral was attended by no one.
In his will, Woolrich left a bequest to Columbia University to establish a creative writing course, which was named after his mother, Claire, rather than himself.
