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While some authors prefer to stay out of the public eye, avoiding interviews and events, others, like Stephen King, are more transparent and accessible. Over the years, the Master of Horror has built a dedicated following, whom he affectionately calls his Constant Readers. Even those who aren’t avid fans are likely familiar with some aspects of his life and career.
Certain facts about King are widely known: his struggles with addiction, how his wife Tabitha rescued an early version of Carrie (1974) from being discarded, and his disdain for Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining (1980). Moving beyond these well-trodden details, this list aims to uncover some lesser-known aspects of King’s life. Here are 10 intriguing facts you might not know about Stephen King.
10. He Once Directed a Movie Based on His Own Work
Stephen King’s stories have frequently been adapted for film, with King occasionally contributing to scripts or making brief appearances. However, he has only directed one movie: Maximum Overdrive (1986). Based on his short story “Trucks” (1973), the film depicts machines gaining consciousness and wreaking havoc. Despite its negative reception, King attributes the film’s flaws to more than just his lack of directorial experience.
“The issue with that movie was that I was heavily under the influence of cocaine throughout its production, and I had no clarity about what I was doing,” King admits. “Still, I gained valuable insights from the experience and would consider directing again in the future.” Despite this, he hasn’t taken on another directing project, leaving Maximum Overdrive as his sole directorial effort.
9. King Was a Member of the Band The Rock Bottom Remainders
The Rock Bottom Remainders was a casual rock band made up of authors, featuring Stephen King, Amy Tan, Dave Barry, and Matt Groening, along with others over time. King contributed as a vocalist and guitarist in the now-defunct group. Their name references the publishing term 'remaindered book,' which denotes unsold books sold at a discount. The band was founded by Kathi Kamen Goldmark, who shared, 'As a part-time musician working in book publicity, I often drove authors around San Francisco... I thought, why not form a band of authors!'
The band occasionally collaborated with professional musicians, such as performing “Gloria” by Them alongside Bruce Springsteen. They also played Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” and Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fool” with Zevon. During their performance of the latter, King remembers Zevon approaching him and urging, ‘Play like Keith [Richards]!’ Zevon crouched down, and King followed suit, mimicking Richards’ iconic style.
8. He Holds the Title of the Most Adapted Living Author
Stephen King currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most film and TV adaptations of works by a living author. If it seems like there’s always a new Stephen King adaptation, that’s because there almost always is. The key word here is “living,” as surpassing the most adapted author of all time, William Shakespeare, would be a monumental task—his works have been adapted 1,121 times as of February 2016.
While no author is likely to overtake Shakespeare anytime soon, King’s official website lists 74 film and TV adaptations as of 2022, with even more in development, including a fresh take on Salem’s Lot. Beyond screen adaptations, his works have also been reimagined as comic books, stage plays, and musicals. Notably, Dolores Claiborne (1992) was transformed into an opera in 2013.
7. King Has Penned Stories for Two Original Musicals
In addition to his novels, King has ventured into musicals. His first foray was writing the story for Michael Jackson’s 39-minute musical short film Ghosts (1996). King took on the project because, as he put it, “I’m always eager to try something new, and crafting a mini-musical was uncharted territory for me.”
He also created the story for Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, with John Mellencamp composing the music and lyrics. King noted that “the songs serve as the character development,” allowing him to focus on the narrative. The musical revolves around two brothers in a haunted cabin, a theme perfectly suited to King’s style. Before its debut, Mellencamp described it as not being “‘Jack and Diane’ meets ‘Cujo,’” but rather something more akin to ‘The Green Mile.’ The show premiered in 2012 at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and toured across the U.S. in 2013 and 2014.
6. He Owns Three Rock Radio Stations
King and his wife are the owners of the Zone Radio Corporation, which operates three radio stations in their hometown of Bangor, Maine. The flagship station, WKIT/100.3, is known as “Stephen King’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Station” and is the largest of the trio. The other two stations include WZON/620, specializing in ’60s and ’70s oldies, and WZLO/103.1, which features a blend of classic and contemporary rock music.
WKIT is referenced in King’s novel 11/22/63 (2011), much of which is set in Maine, like many of his works. The Kings also leverage their stations for charitable causes. In 2011, they organized a fundraiser through their stations to help cover heating costs for struggling Bangor families during winter. The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation matched donations, contributing up to $70,000.
5. Carrie Was His First Published Novel, but Not His First Written Work
It’s commonly noted that King wrote three novels before starting Carrie (1974). These include Rage (1977), The Long Walk (1979), and Blaze (2007), all published under his Richard Bachman pen name. King has explained that this was due to the belief in the publishing industry at the time that “the public would only accept one book per year from an author.”
However, these aren’t the only works King wrote before Carrie. At just 16, in 1963, he completed his first novel, The Aftermath, which explores a post-nuclear war world. King has no plans to release it.
In 1970, King finished another unpublished novel, Sword in the Darkness, a portion of which appears in Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished (2006). That same year, he began The Gunslinger (1982), the first installment of The Dark Tower series. Additionally, he wrote The Running Man (1982), another Bachman title, in just one week during a teaching break in February 1972.
4. He Purchased the Minivan That Almost Took His Life
In the summer of 1999, King was struck by a 1985 Dodge Caravan while walking. The driver, Bryan Smith, was distracted by his dog, leading to the accident. King suffered severe injuries, including a broken hip, pelvis, ribs, and a punctured lung. While the incident made headlines, less known is that King later bought the very same minivan for $1,500.
With a touch of dark humor, King quipped, “I’m going to grab a sledgehammer and smash it to pieces!” The minivan was eventually crushed at a scrapyard. In a twist of fate that feels like it belongs in one of King’s own stories, Bryan Smith passed away on King’s 53rd birthday—September 21, 2000—just over a year after the accident.
3. King Allows Aspiring Filmmakers to Adapt His Stories for Just $1
On his official website, King has a section dedicated to his “dollar babies”—short stories he permits novice filmmakers to adapt for a mere $1. He initiated this program in 1977, despite warnings from his accountant about potential legal issues, and it continues to this day. There are a few conditions: the films cannot be commercially distributed without his approval, and a copy must be sent to him.
Only a handful of these dollar baby films have received commercial distribution rights, with the most notable being Frank Darabont’s adaptation of “The Woman in the Room” (1983) from King’s collection Night Shift (1978). This was Darabont’s directorial debut, and its quality earned it a spot on the Academy Award semi-finalist list. It also convinced King to let Darabont adapt more of his works, leading to critically acclaimed films like The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999), and The Mist (2007), all of which are celebrated as some of the best King adaptations.
2. There Are Certain Books He’ll (Likely) Never Release
In addition to The Aftermath and Sword in the Darkness, King has several unfinished works that remain unpublished. For example, in 1974, he spent six weeks drafting a fictionalized version of Patty Hearst’s kidnapping titled The House on Value Street, but he abandoned the project after struggling to make it work. Another incomplete novella, Phil and Sundance, written in 1987, surfaced online in 2013 but has never been finished or released.
Many of King’s unpublished manuscripts are stored in an archive at his Bangor home, which was previously located at the University of Maine’s Raymond H. Fogler Library. Access is restricted to researchers and scholars who obtain King’s permission, meaning most of his fans will never have the chance to read these hidden works.
1. King Authored a Children’s Book Under a Pen Name
While King is famous for his chilling tales of killer cars and haunted hotels, he ventured into children’s literature in 2016 with a picture book. Charlie the Choo-Choo, credited to Beryl Evans, originated from The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991). King brought the fictional book to life, complete with illustrations by Ned Dameron. Though Charlie’s eerie grin might unsettle readers, the story itself is suitable for children. The book debuted at San Diego Comic-Con, where actress Allison Davies signed copies as the fictional Beryl Evans.
The book’s cover features a quote from Stephen King: “If I ever wrote a children’s book, it would be exactly like this!” Given that King is a character within The Dark Tower universe, this endorsement feels perfectly fitting.
Charlie the Choo-Choo isn’t King’s first attempt at children’s literature. In 2004, he released a pop-up adaptation of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), designed by Kees Moerbeek and illustrated by Alan Dingman. While less graphic than the original novel, parents may want to assess whether it aligns with their children’s comfort level for suspense.
