John William Polidori (1795-1821) was an English writer and physician, known for his involvement in the Romantic movement. After Polidori received his doctorate in medicine, he was employed by Lord Byron, acting as his personal physician who traveled through Europe with him. Paid to journal the experience, Polidori began his writing career at this time as well. He wrote plays, poems, novellas, and non-fiction, but is best known for innovating the vampire genre in fantasy fiction with his famous novel The Vampyre.