Clarence Budington Kelland

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Clarence Budington Kelland (1881, Portland, MI - 18 February 1964, Scotsdale, Arizona) was an American writer. He once described himself as "the best second-rate writer in America"^[1].

In a long and prolific career as a writer of fiction and short stories, he was published in many magazines and a few individual books.

Although largely forgotten now, a small number of his stories achieved some recognition, including Opera Hat which was the basis for the film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and Scattergood Baines which was filmed in 1941.

Kelland was politically active as a Republican, running as the Republican National Committeeman from Arizona in the 1930's. Time magazine refers to him as "pugnacious," "vitriolic,", "peppery," and "gaunt-faced" - a description at odds with the whimsical character of Kelland's fictional characters.