Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 25, 2026

Gilson Willets

Gilson Willets was a journalist, author, and screenwriter in the United States. He was born in Hempstead, New York. He wrote for Leslie's Weekly, Collier's Weekly and many other publications. He covered the Spanish–American War in Cuba. He traveled widely before becoming a production manager for Pathé. His work includes several film serials.

Last revised
Jul 25, 2026
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≈ 2 min
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Source
Gilson Willets
Born(1869-08-10)August 10, 1869
DiedMay 26, 1922(1922-05-26) (aged 52)
OccupationAuthor
Journalist
Screenwriter
Volunteers for the Spanish–American War including many Cuban cigar workers from Tampa, Florida in 1898 source ↗

Gilson Willets (August 10, 1869 - 1922) was a journalist, author, and screenwriter in the United States. He was born in Hempstead, New York. He wrote for Leslie's Weekly, Collier's Weekly and many other publications.1 He covered the Spanish–American War in Cuba. He traveled widely2 before becoming a production manager for Pathé.3 His work includes several film serials.4

As a journalist, he covered a plague in India and E. H. Harriman's Harriman Scientific Expedition to Alaska.4 He was described as the American Guy de Maupassant for his terse writing style.5

He wrote about New Mexico in 1905.6

He married Daisy Van Der Veer and his son was named Gilson Vander Veer Willets.

Bibliography

Bibliography

  • His Neighbor's Wife
  • Anita, Cuban Spy
  • The Triumph of Yankee Doodle
  • Workers of the Nation
  • The Commercial Invasion of Europe
  • Inside History of the White House
  • Rulers of the World at Home7
  • The Loves of Twenty and One (1899)
  • Myster of the Double Cross8

Filmography

References

References

  1. Hills, William Henry; Luce, Robert (October 22, 1897). "The Writer: A Monthly Magazine for Literary Workers". Writer Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  2. "Willets Gilson 1911 his 42nd birthday". August 10, 1911. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "Sacramento Union 26 May 1922 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu.
  4. "Gilson Willets - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  5. "The Writer". The Writer. October 22, 1897 – via Google Books.
  6. Willets, Gilson (August 20, 1905). "Most Un-American Part of the United States; Strange Stories of People and Things in New Mexico -- A Large Proportion of the Population Ignorant of or Indifferent to Our Laws and Institutions -- Some Reasons Why Admission Has Been Refused" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. "Gilson Willets". Open Library.
  8. "Willets Gilson May 20 1917 Mystery Series author". May 20, 1917. p. 34 – via newspapers.com.