Origins & Early Life

William Moulton Marston (May 9, 1893 – May 2, 1947), also known by the pen name Charles Moulton (), was an American psychologist who, with his wife Elizabeth Holloway, invented an early prototype of the polygraph. He was also known as a self-help author and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman. Two women, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston and their polyamorous partner, Olive Byrne, greatly influenced Wonder Woman's creation. He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2006.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Marston was born in the Cliftondale section of Saugus, Massachusetts, the son of Annie Dalton (née Moulton) and Frederick William Marston. Marston was educated at Harvard University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and receiving his B.A. in 1915, an LL.B. in 1918, and a PhD in psychology in 1921. While a student at Harvard, Marston sold his first script, The Thief, to filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, who directed the film in 1913.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After teaching at American University in Washington, D.C., and Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, Marston traveled to Universal Studios in California in 1929, where he spent a year as Director of Public Services and taught at the...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Szent-Györgyi — Contemporary (Born in 1893) (1893): Pioneering Hungarian biochemist, Nobel laureate for Vitamin C and muscle research.
• Alfred Rosenberg — Contemporary (Born in 1893) (1893): Baltic German Nazi philosopher and convicted war criminal, key ideologue of the Third Reich.
• Allen Dulles — Contemporary (Born in 1893) (1893): Pioneering CIA Director during the early Cold War era.
• Al Capone — Contemporary (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Alan Sugar — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering British entrepreneur, founder of Amstrad, and TV personality.
• Albert A. Michelson — Shared historical date (05-09 · Died) (1931): Pioneering American experimental physicist known for light speed measurements.
• Albert Finney — Shared historical date (05-09 · Born) (1936): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• Athanasius Kircher — Shared historical date (05-02 · Born) (1602): German Jesuit polymath renowned for works in religion, geology, and comparative studies.
• Athanasius of Alexandria — Shared historical date (05-02 · Died) (373): The Great Theologian and Patriarch of Alexandria, defender of Nicene orthodoxy.
• 1893 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1893
• May 9 (05-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 9
• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• May 2 (05-02) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 2