Mulford was born inStreator, Illinois. He createdHopalong Cassidy in 1904 while living inFryeburg,Maine, and the many short stories and 28 novels were adapted to radio, feature film, television, and comic books, often deviating significantly from the original stories, especially in the character's traits.[1] While many of his stories depicted Cassidy and other men of the Bar-20 ranch, he also wrote novels (and short stories) of other Westerners, starting withJohnny Nelson in 1920.[2] He also wrote nonfiction, mostly about the American West, the outdoors, and motoring.[3]
More than just writing a very popular series of Westerns, Mulford recreated an entire detailed and authentic world filled with characters drawn from his extensive library research.[4] His biographer, Francis Nevins, characterized Mulford's writing as "rooted in Victorian convention."[4] Nevins also states that he originated theWestern series that has continuous characters, and that, unlike the characters of most later Western series writers, his characters aged.[4]
He died of complications from surgery inPortland, Maine. He set aside much of his money from his books for local charities.
^Nevins, Francis M., Jr., 1993,Bar-20: The Life of Clarence E. Mulford, Creator of Hopalong Cassidy, with Seven Original Stories Reprinted. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, North Carolina. pp. 10–11, 116–118.
^Nevins, Francis M., Jr., 1993,Bar-20: The Life of Clarence E. Mulford, Creator of Hopalong Cassidy, with Seven Original Stories Reprinted. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, North Carolina. pp. 35–37, 70.
^Nevins, Francis M., Jr., 1993,Bar-20: The Life of Clarence E. Mulford, Creator of Hopalong Cassidy, with Seven Original Stories Reprinted. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, North Carolina. pp. 211–218 (bibliography of works by Mulford).
^abcNevins, Francis M., Jr., 1993,Bar-20: The Life of Clarence E. Mulford, Creator of Hopalong Cassidy, with Seven Original Stories Reprinted. McFarland & Company: Jefferson, North Carolina. p. 124.