Richard Edward Connell Jr. (October 17, 1893 – November 22, 1949) was an American author and journalist. He is best remembered for his short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924). Connell was one of the most popular American short story writers of his time, and his stories were published in "The Saturday Evening Post" and "Collier's" magazines. He had equal success as a journalist and screenwriter, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1942 (Best Original Story) for the movie "Meet John Doe" (1941), directed by Frank Capra and based on his 1922 short story "A Reputation". His screenplay for the 1944 film "Two Girls and a Sailor" was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.