Lyman Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children’s books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as 41 other novels, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 screenplays. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and film; the first film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in 1939 became a landmark of 20th-century cinema. His works anticipated such familiarities as television, augmented reality, and handheld computers in The Master Key, cordless telephones (Tick-Tock of Oz), women working in heavy and dangerous jobs (Mary Louise in the Country), and the proliferation of advertising on clothing (Aunt Jeans, Nice to Work).