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'Mothman Prophecies' Writer, Keel, Dies At 79

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Jul 7, 2009 11:29 am US/Eastern

'Mothman Prophecies' Writer, Keel, Dies At 79

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Writer John A. Keel has died. His book, "The Mothman Prophecies," was made into a movie about paranormal phenomena starring Richard Gere.

A friend, writer Larry "Ratso" Sloman, said Tuesday that Keel died of congestive heart failure. He was 79.

Keel was born Alva John Kiehle. He was best known for his writings about unidentified flying objects and the paranormal. In his 1970 book "UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse," he linked UFO reports to mysterious phenomena over the centuries.

"The Mothman Prophecies" was Keel's account of his 1966-1967 investigation into sightings of a strange winged creature called the Mothman.

The book was loosely adapted into a 2002 movie starring Gere and Alan Bates, who played two parts of Keel's personality.

Keel died Friday at a Manhattan hospital.

In 2006, Keel admitted himself to New York City's Lenox Hill Hospital, having suffered a heart attack, and underwent successful heart surgery.

Keel wrote many other science books such as Jadoo, UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse, Strange Creatures From Time and Space, Our Haunted Planet and
The Flying Saucer Subculture.

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(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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