Walter B. Gibson was an American author and professional magician. He was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on September 12, 1897. He wrote over a hundred books on magic, true crime, and games. He was a ghost writer for Sidney H. Radner, Harry Houdini, and Harry Blackstone, Sr. Gibson was most famous for his success with the pulp fiction character The Shadow, featured in comic books, magazines, and radio shows. Gibson died in Kingston, New York on December 6, 1985.