Fulton Oursler

Fulton Oursler – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life of Fulton Oursler (1893–1952) — American journalist, editor, mystery writer (as Anthony Abbot), and author of the acclaimed The Greatest Story Ever Told. Learn about his diverse works, spiritual conversion, and memorable sayings.

Introduction

Charles Fulton Oursler (January 22, 1893 – May 24, 1952) was a prolific American journalist, editor, playwright, and novelist.

He is perhaps best known today for his religious works—especially The Greatest Story Ever Told (1949), a narrative retelling of the life of Jesus Christ that later became a major film.

Yet his literary and professional career was far broader: he wrote detective fiction under the name Anthony Abbot, collaborated in exposing fraudulent spiritualism, worked as a magazine editor, and ultimately adopted a Christian faith that shaped his later writings.

In the sections below, you’ll find a detailed look at his early life, career transitions, faith journey, major works, legacy, and some notable quotes.

Early Life and Background

• Born: January 22, 1893, in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

• Death: May 24, 1952, in New York City, New York, U.S.

• Full name: Charles Fulton Oursler (he often dropped “Charles” professionally)

Oursler grew up in Baltimore in a devout Baptist family. In his youth, he discovered a passion for reading and magic/illusion.

At age 15, he declared himself an agnostic, breaking from the religious environment of his upbringing.

He began his journalistic career early: working for the Baltimore American newspaper as a reporter, critic, and contributor to various magazines.

Career and Literary Journey

Magazine and orial Work

Oursler moved to New York and worked as editor of The Music Trades. The Black Cat, Detective Story Magazine, The Thrill Book, and Mystery Magazine.

From 1921 to 1941, he was heavily involved in the magazine enterprises of Bernarr Macfadden, supervising many of Macfadden’s publications.

In 1931, he became editor of Liberty magazine (after Macfadden acquired it), a key national weekly.

In 1944, he accepted a senior editor role at Reader’s Digest.

Detective Fiction & Pseudonyms

Under the pseudonym Anthony Abbot, Oursler penned many detective and mystery stories.

His detective hero Thatcher Colt appears in multiple novels.

Some of these Colt stories were adapted into films, including The Night Club Lady (1932) and The Circus Queen Murder (1933).

He also coauthored plays, such as The Spider (1927), which was later filmed multiple times.

Exposing Spiritualist Fraud

In the 1920s, Oursler participated in the campaign led by Harry Houdini against false mediums and spiritualist frauds. Samri Frikell (derived from earlier magicians) to publish works such as Spirit Mediums Exposed (1930).

Religious Conversion & Writing

In 1935, the Oursler family traveled through the Middle East, staying a week in the Holy Land. It was during this journey that Oursler began writing A Skeptic in the Holy Land. He would later report that while starting as a skeptic, the journey moved him toward faith.

In 1943, he and his family converted to Roman Catholicism.

His The Greatest Story Ever Told (1949), a dramatized life of Jesus, became his best-known work. The Greatest Book Ever Written (1951) and The Greatest Faith Ever Known (completed by his daughter posthumously)

He also authored Father Flanagan of Boys Town (1949, with his son Will Oursler) about the ministry of Father Edward J. Flanagan.

Works (Select)

As Fulton Oursler

• Behold This Dreamer! (1924)

• Sandalwood (1925)

• Stepchild of the Moon (1926)

• The World’s Delight (1929)

• Joshua Todd (1935)

• A Skeptic in the Holy Land (1936)

• The Precious Secret (1947)

• Why I Know There Is a God (1950)

• The Greatest Story Ever Told (1949)

• The Greatest Book Ever Written (1951)

As Anthony Abbot

• The Night Club Lady (1931)

• The Circus Queen Murder (1932)

• The Panther’s Claw (1942)

• Other Thatcher Colt mysteries and short stories

He also wrote plays (e.g. The Spider, All the King’s Men) and many magazine articles.

Personality, Themes & Approach

• Oursler was known for his versatility—able to write in fiction, non-fiction, spiritual and detective genres.

• He combined popular appeal with serious themes, making religious and moral stories accessible to a broad audience.

• His earlier interest in magic and illusion influenced his detective plots and his interest in spiritual deception and unveiling truth.

• He had a journalistic rigor—editing and shaping magazines, handling mass readership, and knowing popular taste.

• His conversion to Catholicism suggests a deep spiritual search; he strove to bring faith into conversation with contemporary issues and narratives.

• He believed in story as a powerful vehicle for truth, seeking to present the life of Jesus in dramatic, compelling form.

Legacy & Impact

• The Greatest Story Ever Told cemented Oursler’s reputation in Christian literature; the work was later adapted into a major film (1965).

• His religious and inspirational works influenced many readers in mid-20th century America, bringing biblical narratives into a narrative, dramatic form.

• His detective fiction under Anthony Abbot contributed to the Golden Age of American mystery writing, with a distinctive style centered on atmosphere, intelligence, and moral complexity.

• He is remembered today for bridging popular writing, religious conviction, and genre fluency.

• His family continued in the literary field: his son Will Oursler became a noted author writing on religious, inspirational, and fiction themes.

Selected Quotes

Here are a few quotations attributed to Fulton Oursler:

• “Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves — regret for the past and fear of the future.”

• “Human beings, when confronted with the strange and inexplicable, have an immediate instinct to get back to the accustomed and the normal. We do not hug our miracles close; we put them hastily away …”

These reflect his interest in spiritual paradox, human resistance to wonder, and inner conflict.

Lessons from Fulton Oursler

1. Genre-bending is possible
   Oursler’s shift from mysteries to religious narrative shows that a writer need not be confined to one lane.

2. Story can carry conviction
   He believed that narrative—even dramatized—could communicate moral and spiritual truths more engagingly than dry treatises.

3. Seek truth under illusion
   His earlier work exposing fraudulent mediums and his later work on faith reflect a consistency: unveiling what misleads and seeking what endures.

4. Conversion is a journey, not a destination
   His faith developed gradually, showing openness to change in worldview over time.

5. orship and writing complement each other
   His strong editorial background no doubt sharpened his sense of audience, structure, and clarity in writing.