by Hal Erickson
biography
An alumnus of the College of New York, John Stone had practically no prior show business experience when, in 1925, he signed on as a staff writer at Fox studios. Rising to prominence as the scrivener of several popular Tom Mix Westerns, Stone switched to the production end of the business. He was appointed assistant to Fox executive Winfield R. Sheehan, then weathered Sheehan's dismissal by latching onto Sol Wurtzel's B-picture unit. Stone kept the turnstiles clicking for Fox (by now merged with 20th Century Fox) as producer of the studio's popular Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto detective series. And when he moved to Columbia in 1940, John Stone returned to business as usual as producer of that studio's Boston Blackie features.
