Edwin Balmer

• Name — Edwin Balmer • Born — 26 July 1883 • Birthplace — Chicago, Illinois, U.S. • Died — 21 March 1959 • Place of death — North Tarrytown, New York, U.S. • Resting Place — Rosehill Cemetery • Occupation — Writer • Genre — Science fiction, mystery

• Illustration — Balmer's grave at Rosehill Cemetery Balmer was born in Chicago to Helen Clark (Pratt) and Thomas Balmer. In 1909, he married Katharine MacHarg, sister of the writer William MacHarg. After her death, he married Grace A. Kee in 1927. He began as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune in 1903 before writing for books and magazines. He was editor of Redbook (1927–1949) and later became associate publisher. He would then commission young writers to write up these ideas for inclusion in Redbook. He died at Phelps Hospital in North Tarrytown, New York on March 21, 1959, at age 75, and was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.

Together with author Philip Wylie, he wrote the catastrophe science fiction novels When Worlds Collide (1933) and After Worlds Collide (1934). The former was made into an award-winning 1951 movie by George Pal. Balmer also wrote several detective novels and collaborated with William MacHarg on The Achievements of Luther Trant (1910), an early collection of detective short stories.

Balmer also helped create (with artist Marvin Bradley) the syndicated comic strip Speed Spaulding, partially based on the Worlds Collide series, which ran from 1938 through 1941 in the comic book Famous Funnies.