Arnold Bertram Walker

Noel Bertram Gerson (1913–1988) was an exceptionally prolific American author, credited with writing 325 books throughout his career. He utilized his own name extensively, alongside nine distinct pseudonyms, including Samuel Edwards, Donald Clayton Porter, and Dana Fuller Ross. Gerson's literary output primarily focused on historical novels, with a significant emphasis on American history, particularly its colonial and formative periods. He also authored numerous biographies and biographical novels, covering figures such as US presidents and notable women from history.

His career began after military service in Army intelligence during World War II, following earlier experience as a reporter and publicity writer. Gerson's prolific output included major series like the twenty-four-book 'Wagons West' series under the pseudonym Dana Fuller Ross and the 'White Indian' series penned as Donald Clayton Porter. His extensive bibliography spans standalone novels, biographical works, and nonfiction, demonstrating a wide range of historical interests and a remarkable ability to produce a vast volume of work across different genres and under various authorial identities.

Born to Sam Gerson, who managed the Shubert theaters in Chicago, Noel Bertram Gerson received his education at the University of Chicago. During his university years, he served as a campus correspondent for the Chicago Herald-Examiner, later transitioning to a reporter role at the same publication after graduation. His career path continued in Chicago, where he worked for WGN as a publicity writer, eventually advancing to the positions of talent director and chief scriptwriter. Following his service in Army intelligence during World War II, Gerson shifted his focus to writing television scripts before embarking on his extensive career as a novelist in 1950.

Gerson's primary literary output consisted of historical novels, often stand-alone narratives, with a particular fondness for American history. He frequently explored the colonial era and the nation's early years. Beyond historical fiction, he also penned a large number of biographies and biographical novels, profiling figures such as U.S. Presidents like Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt, as well as prominent historical women including Empress Theodora and Pocahontas. To manage his prolific output and explore different narrative avenues, Gerson employed numerous pseudonyms, including Samuel Edwards (often for tie-in work), Anne Marie Burgess, Michael Burgess, Nicholas Gorham, Paul Lewis, Leon Phillips, Donald Clayton Porter, Dana Fuller Ross, Philip Vail, and Carter A. Vaughan.

In the later stages of his career, Gerson created two significant series of American historical novels. The 'Wagons West' series, written under the pen name Dana Fuller Ross, comprised twenty-four books detailing the westward expansion, beginning with the initial wagon train to Oregon in 1837. Another notable series was 'White Indian,' initiated in 1979 under the pseudonym Donald Clayton Porter. This series, set in the late 17th century, follows the life of Renno, a settler child raised by the Seneca people. Gerson also wrote screenplay novelizations, such as 'The Naked Maja' and '55 Days at Peking,' under the pseudonym Samuel Edwards.