Biography

David Morrell was born in 1943, shortly after his father was killed in action. His mother could not both raise him and have a job, so David was sent to an orphange. He went to Pennsylvania State University from 1966-70, where he was inspired by his teacher, writer William Tenn. In 1972 he wrote First Blood (1982), which later became the legendary movie introducing John Rambo played by Sylvester Stallone in 1982. He was a professor of American literature at the University of Iowa and taught from 1970 to 1986, where he resigned. In 1987 he lost his 15 year old son Matthew because of bone cancer. He left Iowa and today he lives with his wife and daughter in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has written several novels and First Blood is probably the most famous.
- IMDb mini biography by: Povl D. Rasmussen <pc@person.dk>

David Morrell actually wrote First Blood (1982) at the same time he was writing his dissertation on American literature, and submitted both at the same time. When his agent called to tell him of the sale, Morrell actually thought he was talking about his dissertation being accepted.

Good friends with Stirling Silliphant and Sylvester Stallone.

The first scripts [for Rambo III (1988)) I saw were excellent, particular the character of a fortyish female French physician who takes care of Afghan children injured during the war. The story had an epical RAMBO OF ARABIA feel. But for budgetary and other reasons, the scripts got simpler until the released film felt like a cartoon. One of the subtexts I added was that the Soviet War with Afghanistan was a version of America's involvement in Vietnam, with similar fracturing effects to each country's veterans and culture.

When I started First Blood, back in 1968, I was deeply influenced by Geoffrey Household's Rogue Male.

About the Rambo apple, some readers here might not know that ... Rambo was named for a Pennsylvania apple, a type that was planted by legendary Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) who planted Rambo apple trees in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania in the 1800s.