Ray Russell

Ray Russell was an American editor, writer, and screenwriter known primarily for his horror fiction.

His most famous work is the short story "Sardonicus," published in Playboy in 1961 and later adapted into a film.

Stephen King praised "Sardonicus" as possibly the finest modern gothic tale ever written.

Russell also wrote mystery and science fiction, with "Sardonicus" being part of a trio of stories including "Sanguinarius" and "Sagittarius." His novel The Case Against Satan, published in 1962, is considered influential in the demonic possession subgenre, predating more famous works like The Exorcist by several years.