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Scott O'Dell (May 23, 1898-October 15, 1989) was born Odell Gabriel Scott in Los Angeles, Ca. Scott O'Dell married twice, to Jane Rattenbury and to Elizabeth Hall with whom he had two children. O'Dell attended Occidental College in 1919, University of Wisconsin in 1920, Stanford University from 1920-1921, and University of Rome in 1925. He was a member of the Authors Guild.
He formerly worked as a technical director for Paramount and as a cameraman for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He also grew citrus fruit and taught a mail-order course in photoplay writing. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force, 1942-1943. In 1934 he published his first novel, Woman of Spain: A Story of Old California, and thereafter he was engaged primarily in writing. From 1947 until 1955 he was book review editor for the Los Angeles Daily News, and he continued to release book-length works for adults. His first novel for teens, Island of the Blue Dolphins, appeared in 1960. He died of prostate cancer in Mount Kisco, N.Y.
The collection contains materials for The Cruise of the Arctic Star, including manuscripts. The correspondence dates during many of Scott O'Dell's more famous works, including Island of the Blue Dolphins.