Robert Matzen is an American author specializing in Hollywood history and World War II, known for his meticulous research and compelling narratives. His bestselling works include "Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe" and "Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3," the latter of which won the 2015 Benjamin Franklin Award for Biography and received acclaim from the Smithsonian Institution. His tenth book, "Season of the Gods," marks his debut novel, drawing from his expertise in film production and wartime history to explore the making of "Casablanca" through the perspective of Warner Bros. Story Editor Irene Lee. Matzen's other notable works include "Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn in World War II" and "Warrior: Audrey Hepburn," both written in collaboration with Hepburn's son Luca Dotti.
Matzen's immersive approach to research sets his writing apart, often involving firsthand experiences to enrich his narratives. For "Dutch Girl," he spent months in the Netherlands interviewing survivors who knew Audrey Hepburn during the war, while for "Mission," he flew in vintage bombers and visited historical sites tied to Jimmy Stewart's service. His background includes a decade working for NASA in aeronautics, a career that informed his technical precision in works like "Fireball," for which he scaled Mount Potosi to investigate the wreckage of TWA Flight 3. A former filmmaker, Matzen also directed the PBS-aired documentary "When the Forest Ran Red," a genre classic about George Washington. His bylines have appeared in the Wall Street Journal and other major outlets, cementing his reputation as a versatile storyteller across mediums.