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John Alva Keel, born Alva John Kiehle on March 25, 1930, was a prominent American journalist and influential UFOlogist, widely recognized as the author of the renowned book "The Mothman Prophecies." Although Keel had a diverse upbringing, with his parents separating early in his life, his keen interest in magic and writing became evident from a young age. He even published his first story in a magicians' magazine at 12 and left formal education behind at 16 after completing all science courses.
Keel's career encompassed various roles, including freelance contributions to newspapers, scriptwriting for local radio and television stations, and writing pulp articles. Notably, he served in the US Army during the Korean War, where he worked on the staff of the American Forces Network in Frankfurt, Germany, and claimed to have been trained in psychological warfare as a propaganda writer during his time in the military. After his service, Keel embarked on a journey as a foreign radio correspondent, reporting from cities like Paris, Berlin, Rome, and Egypt.
In 1957, he published "Jadoo," a book that chronicled his adventures in Egypt and India, where he investigated intriguing subjects such as the Indian rope trick and the legendary yeti. In 1966, Keel released "The Fickle Finger of Fate," a humorous novel parodying spy and superhero genres. However, his true passion lay in exploring UFOs and Forteana (anomalous and unexplained phenomena), inspired by writers like Charles Fort.
One of Keel's significant contributions to UFO research was his popularization of the term "men in black" through an article titled "UFO Agents of Terror," published in the men's adventure magazine Saga in 1967.
Initially, like some of his contemporaries, such as J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallée, Keel held hope in validating the prevailing extraterrestrial visitation hypothesis. However, after a year of intensive investigations, he eventually discarded the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Instead, Keel found a fascinating correlation between psychic phenomena and UFO sightings, leading him to propose that these sightings might not necessarily originate from extraterrestrial sources but could be connected to our contemporary beliefs and interpretations.
In his books "UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse" and "The Eighth Tower," Keel presented an intriguing idea that a non-human or spiritual intelligence was behind these phenomena, orchestrating events to perpetuate specific erroneous belief systems. He coined the term "ultra terrestrials" to describe the entities he believed could take various forms at will.
In "Our Haunted Planet," Keel explored an unconventional possibility: that the so-called alien "visitors" might not be visitors but could represent an advanced Earth civilization, possibly even non-human. The idea of interdimensional life also found its way into his speculations.
Keel did not assert a definitive purpose for the UFO phenomenon but noted that the intelligence behind it seemed to have a longstanding interest in interacting with humanity.
However, "The Mothman Prophecies" stands out among his various works. Published in 1975, the book chronicled Keel's investigation into the alleged sightings of a mysterious winged creature known as "Mothman" in and around Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The narrative intertwined reports of strange phone calls and mutilated pets and culminated in the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15, 1967.
"The Mothman Prophecies" achieved significant popularity and served as the basis for a 2002 film adaptation starring Richard Gere, Will Patton, Laura Linney, and Alan Bates. Interestingly, Gere and Bates portrayed characters representing different facets of Keel's personality in the film.
Over the years, Keel's research has faced scrutiny and questions, with skeptics pointing to discrepancies in his accounts and correspondence. However, his impact on the field of UFOlogy remains profound, and his unique perspectives continue to intrigue and inspire researchers and enthusiasts alike. John Keel's legacy lives on, leaving a lasting mark on exploring UFO phenomena and the enigmatic world of the "Men in Black."
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