Eric Mowbray Knight, born in Yorkshire in 1897, was an English novelist and screenwriter who later became an American citizen shortly before his death in 1943. His early life included his father's death in the Boer War, his mother's work as a governess in Russia, and the family's eventual settlement in the United States. Knight served in World War I and later in the U.S. Army Reserve. His writing career spanned various genres, including novels like 'This Above All', a significant work of World War II, and contributions to film. He is most famously recognized for his 1940 novel 'Lassie Come-Home', which introduced the beloved collie character. Knight and his second wife raised collies on their farm in Pennsylvania. His career concluded with his death in a military aircraft crash in South America while serving with the U.S. Army.

Born in Menston, West Riding of Yorkshire, Eric Knight was the youngest of three sons. His father, a Quaker diamond merchant, was killed in the Boer War when Eric was two. His mother then moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, to work for the imperial family as a governess, before the family later relocated to the United States in 1912. Knight's military service included a role as a signaller in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry during World War I, followed by service as a captain of field artillery in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1926. Tragically, both of his brothers were killed in World War I while serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Knight's literary output included his first novel, 'Invitation to Life' (1934), followed by 'Song on Your Bugles' (1936), which depicted the working class in Northern England. Under the pseudonym "Richard Hallas", he penned the hardboiled novel 'You Play the Black and the Red Comes Up' (1938). His novel 'This Above All' is recognized as a significant literary contribution to the World War II era. Knight also collaborated on the film 'Battle of Britain' as part of Frank Capra's 'Why We Fight' series. His most enduring work, 'Lassie Come-Home', published in 1940 and expanded from a 1938 short story, introduced the famous collie character. Another notable book was 'Sam Small Flies Again', later republished as 'The Flying Yorkshireman', which featured a character known for fantastical tales.

In his later years, Eric Knight and his second wife, Jere Brylawski, resided on their farm in Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania, where they raised collies. This period, from 1939 to 1943, was when his most famous work, 'Lassie Come-Home', was published. At the time of his death in 1943, Knight held the rank of major in the United States Army's Special Services, having contributed to two films in Frank Capra's 'Why We Fight' series. His life was cut short when he perished in a C-54 air crash in Dutch Guiana, now Suriname, in South America.