Fredric Brown (29 October 1906–11 March 1972; age 65) was an influential science fiction and mystery writer. He is credited with writing the story for the Star Trek: The Original Series first season episode "Arena".
Gene L. Coon wrote the "Arena" script over the course of a weekend. When he brought it for approval on Monday morning, Joan Pearce, a Desilu research assistant, reviewed the script and discovered that it bore similarities to Brown's 1944 short story, also called "Arena." Coon and Desilu executives decided to buy Brown's story to be able to film the script, resulting in Brown receiving story credit. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story pp. 206-207)
Brown also wrote the novel The Screaming Mimi, which John Peel paid tribute to in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel Field Trip. [1] (Pages 53, 58, and 100) (Voyages of Imagination [page number? • edit]