Fiction. Ever since its debut in the Saturday Evening Post in 1919, MERTON OF THE MOVIES has delighted book and film lovers alike and is considered one of the first real Hollywood novels. Filled with lighthearted film parodies, glimpses into a bygone Hollywood era, and a likable main character, it is easy to understand why MERTON OF THE MOVIES inspired an often-revived Broadway play, several films, and a brand new radio play. It was included in Lawrence Clark Powell's famous list of thirty California classics.