# Which author has had the most books turned into movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264 "2003-06-25T11:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/21 "2003-06-25T20:16:40Z")
Clarification? Are we talking about total books (most books made into movies) or total movies (which would include remakes)? If the former, [Jules Verne](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Verne,+Jules) may be the winner. I count 27 different novels being made into movies. (Check my math.) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/22 "2003-06-26T04:48:31Z")
If we count total box office grosses, I’d nominate Philip K Dick: BladeRunner, Total Recall, Imposter, Minority Report, and the upcoming Paycheck. Certainly the highest for SF, which you wouldn’t have guessed surveying the field when he was writing: Clarke, Asimov, Bradbury … ---
**Author:** ![And\_that\_s\_the\_bottom\_line](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df788c/32.png) [@And\_that\_s\_the\_bottom\_line](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/And_that_s_the_bottom_line)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/23 "2003-06-26T08:01:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\*Clarification? Are we talking about total books (most books made into movies) or total movies (which would include remakes)? > > If the former, [Jules Verne](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Verne,+Jules) may be the winner. I count 27 different novels being made into movies. (Check my math.) \*\* A little clarification on my OP: I am talking about most books by one author that have been made into movies. Multiple movie remakes based on one book do not count. While he didn’t technically write books I will count Shakespeare. But multiple movies based on one of his plays does not count. For example: More than one movie version of **Romeo and Juliet** still only counts as one. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/24 "2003-06-26T08:18:37Z")
Stephen King lists 33 movies at [his site](http://www.stephenking.com/pages/Works/List_Movies.html) plus 13 TV movies/series. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/25 "2003-06-26T09:18:55Z")
I have nothing constructive to add to this thread (apart from seconding **spoke-**'s nomination of Jules Verne). I would, however, like to nominate the OP as being the **“Completely Unambiguous Question Wilfully Misinterpreted by the Greatest Number of Responders”**. The OP was not about multiple remakes, or box office. So, **And that’s the bottom line** , I don’t think you should have been forced to “clarify” your OP. The thread title asks the definitive question. The Stephen King list seems to include several short stories (e.g. **The Shawshank Redemption** and **The Green Mile** ) that probably would not be counted as “books”. Sorry if this sounds snarky. It’s just… jeesh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/26 "2003-06-26T09:29:40Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by AndrewT_ > If we count total box office grosses, I’d nominate Philip K Dick With no disrespect at all to Dick, nor to the movies he’s inspired, I don’t think he’d have a shot at top box office revenue. Just based on two movies each, both J. R. R. Tolkien and J. K. Rowling have him beat. Box office stats are probably a pretty misleading statistic. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/27 "2003-06-26T10:09:08Z")
I’d like to throw these names in for consideration, although both have numerous TV movies as well. Also I’m not sure how many novels have been filmed numerous times, but there are certain to be duplications. [Edgar Wallace](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Wallace,+Edgar) [Georges Simenon](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Simenon,+Georges) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/28 "2003-06-26T14:22:46Z")
Mark Twain is up there as well, with 74 adaptations since the silent PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (in which he also “acted”) appeared in 1909. I was surprised that Barbara Cartland, who wrote a book a day for the last 85 years of her life, only has five movie credits. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/29 "2003-06-26T14:53:19Z")
Too bad it was the same book for 85 years. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/30 "2003-06-27T13:07:28Z")
If we’re talking percentages (total number of books vs. total movies), Shakespeare is probably on top. Don’t forget P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves books. And the single biggest money maker in all of entertainment is (ta da da), ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! Couldn’t resist saying that. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/31 "2003-06-27T14:54:43Z")
I was going to chime in with **Jules Vernne** , but I haven’t been able to post until today, so I agree with **spoke-**. An exact count is difficult, for several reasons – some of Verne’s novels were published in several parts. Some movies are in effect based upon more than one novel. Do the various versions of **From the Earth to the Moon** include the sequel **Around the Moon**? Disney’s version of **20,000 Leagues under the Sea** owes as much to **The Weapon of Destruction** as it does to the one that gives the title. Of course, that novel served as the inspiration for **The Fabulous World of Jules Verne** as well, so it’s covered. **Robur the Conqueror** was based on **Robur the Conqueror** and **Master of the World**. The only serious competition I see is Stephen King, and, as noted above, some of the movies are based on short stories or short novellas ( **Children of the Corn, The Shawshank Redemption, Trucks/Maximum Overdrive** ). ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/32 "2003-06-27T15:34:02Z")
[Edgar Allan Poe](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Poe,+Edgar+Allan) is credited with 120 films. Not enough to grab the lead, and many of them have little to do with his work, but that hasn’t stopped other people from posting authors they like, so there. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/33 "2003-06-27T15:57:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by And that’s the bottom line \* > \*\*A little clarification on my OP: I am talking about most books by one author that have been made into movies. Multiple movie remakes based on one book do not count. While he didn’t technically write books I will count Shakespeare. But multiple movies based on one of his plays does not count. For example: More than one movie version of **Romeo and Juliet** still only counts as one. \*\* ☹ Then we have to remove my fave… **A. C. Doyle’s** Sherlock Holmes stories were written as serial adventures for magazines, not originally as books. Many have been repeatedly published in book form but they are still a collection of short stories. Even his four “novellas” were originally serialized. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![ericebac31](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@ericebac31](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ericebac31)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/34 "2016-02-14T17:24:27Z")
Nicholas Sparks; starting with 1999’s Message in A Bottle, Sparks has had 11 of his films turned into movies: Message In A Bottle A Walk to Remember The Notebook Nights in Rodanthe Dear John The Last Song The Lucky One Safe Haven The Best of Me The Longest Ride The Choice There is a possibility that a 12th adaptation may come out soon as well, but if it does, no one knows which book will be next. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/35 "2016-02-15T00:40:53Z")
I second the vote for Alistair Maclean. I really like his books, although some of the movies really suck. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/36 "2016-02-15T00:41:51Z")
Feels like someone should mention Stan Lee. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/37 "2016-02-15T00:57:37Z")
Some of Stephen King’s “short stories” are as long as other people’s books. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/38 "2016-02-15T01:02:53Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Elmore Leonard, Zane Gray, Louie L’Amour, Donald Westlake, and Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) all have had a large number of movies made from their books. The western and mystery genres are good places to look for these authors. They are prolific without their individual titles being so well known that the public can tell when a book is being adapted into a movie. IMDB lists 84 individual titles made into movies from Zane Grey. I didn’t count duplicate movies (Riders of the Purple Sage), and surely some of the others were remakes, but, 84? Lot’s of stories too. But that’s pretty prolific. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/39 "2016-02-15T02:07:07Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > IMDB lists 84 individual titles made into movies from Zane Grey. I didn’t count duplicate movies (Riders of the Purple Sage), and surely some of the others were remakes, but, 84? Lot’s of stories too. But that’s pretty prolific. What’s surprising is the TV series _Zane Grey Theatre_. It ran for 149 episodes but apparently only six of them were actually based on stories written by Grey. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264/40 "2016-02-15T13:51:44Z")
If we’re going for percentages of entire published output to film adaptation, Jane Austen should be considered. Admittedly her novels were small in number, but as far as adaptations go she’s at the 100% mark. Even the much-less-known _Lady Susan_ has been adapted for a film release this year, retitled _Love & Friendship_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-author-has-had-the-most-books-turned-into-movies/184264.md?page=3)