T. V. Olsen

Theodore Victor Olsen (April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin – July 13, 1993 in Rhinelander) was an American western fiction author. The films The Stalking Moon and Soldier Blue were based on his works.

Olsen's family migrated from Norway in 1901. Theodore Olsen was born on April 25, 1932 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He went to school in Rhinelander and began to write in high school. He began a western novel at that time. Olsen went to college in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He finally finished his novel, Haven of the Hunted, and it was published in 1956. Olsen also began to sell western stories to pulp magazines at this time. Though Olsen would occasionally travel west, he lived his whole life in Rhinelander and would use exhaustive research to help accurately portray scenes of the west in his stories.

Olsen was married to fellow western fiction author Beverly Butler.

Olsen died in Rhinelander on July 13, 1993, and several works were published posthumously.

Much of T.V. Olsen's family still lives in the Rhinelander region. They own a 300-acre (1.2 km²) ranch with a century old farm house and dairy barn.

• The Stalking Moon, 1968 directed by Robert Mulligan, with Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint
• Soldier Blue, 1970 directed by Ralph Nelson with Peter Strauss and Candice Bergen

• 1992: Golden Spur Award in the category Paperback Original for "Golden Chance"