Which author wrote the short story adapted into Steven Spielberg’s 1971 television film Duel?

Richard Matheson wrote the short story adapted into Steven Spielberg’s 1971 television film Duel.

Matheson’s story, also titled “Duel,” first appeared in Playboy in 1971. It follows a traveling salesman named David Mann who is pursued across California roads by a mysterious tanker truck. The story turns an ordinary driving journey into a tense survival narrative without fully explaining the truck driver’s motives.

Spielberg directed the television adaptation when he was still at the beginning of his career. Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, while the truck driver is never clearly shown. That choice preserves the story’s mystery and makes the vehicle itself function almost like a character. Duel was originally made for ABC’s Movie of the Week and later expanded for theatrical release in some countries.

The film is often described as an early showcase for Spielberg’s suspense technique. A frequent error is identifying Duel as a theatrical feature made after Jaws; it actually predates Spielberg’s major cinema breakthrough by several years.