With Sopranos fans still reeling from the death of James Gandolfini just a few days ago, fantasy and science-fiction fans have now lost a hero of their own. Richard Matheson, the legendary writer of such novels as I Am Legend and The Shrinking Man, passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Sunday after an extended illness. The impact of his work reverberated throughout pop culture over the years, serving as an inspiration for many hugely successful writers and directors including Stephen King, George Romero and Steven Spielberg. He was 87 years old.

Matheson’s novel I Am Legend was adapted into three separate movies: The Last Man on Earth, Omega Man and I Am Legend. However, it is his plethora of contributions to The Twilight Zone that he is probably best remembered for. He penned some 16 episodes including the classic “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” starring William Shatner, which was later remade as a segment for The Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s first film Duel and his stories served as the source material for such films as The Legend of Hell House, What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, The Box and Real Steel. The last thing he wrote was an autobiographical novel called Generations that was published last year. What are your favourite Richard Matheson stories?