Born in Newark, NJ. Reputed originator of the phrase "La-La Land" as a nickname for Los Angeles. Had acting roles in three films, the first of which was in a film he wrote for Roger Corman: FIVE GUNS WEST (1955). At Universal-International, he wrote GUN FOR A COWARD and MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (both 1957) and then returned to American International (AIP) to write Corman's TEENAGE CAVE MAN and MACHINE-GUN KELLY (both 1958), THE YOUNG RACES (1963) and THE SECRET INVASION and THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (both 1964). He adapted Arthur Roth's novel for Tay Garnett's UK-US co-production, A TERRIBLE BEAUTY (1960), that starred Robert Mitchum, Richard Harris, Anne Heywood, Dan O'Herlihy and Cyril Cusack. Other notable credits include Richard Rush's HELLS ANGELS ON WHEELS (1967) and James Hill's CAPTAIN NEMO AND THE UNDERWATER CITY (1969). Wright began working in television with "The Henry Fonda Show" in 1955 and wrote scripts for other series, including "Maverick" and "Twelve O'Clock High." Campbell was the author of 27 novels, 19 of which were mysteries. He decided to turn to fiction writing late in his career. His first novel, completed during a writers' strike in Hollywood, was The Spy Who Sat and Waited, which was nominated for a National Book Award in 1976. The first of his popular "Jimmy Flannery" novels, The Junkyard Dog, appeared in 1986 and won the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1987. He went on to do the "Whistler" suspense series, beginning with In La-La Land We Trust. Its sequel, Alice In La-La Land, was nominated for the PEN Award in 1988. Where Pigeons Go To Die, a novel that first appeared in 1978, became a well-received "Hallmark Hall of Fame" film in 1990, produced, directed by and starring Michael Landon (it would be his last film appearance) and has become a holiday perennial. His brother is actor William Campbell (b. 1926)    Nominated for Writing (Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) 1957: MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (w. Ralph Wheelright, Ivan Goff & Ben Roberts) 1 nomination