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Richard Levinson
Richard Leighton Levinson (August 7, 1934 – March 12, 1987) was an American screenwriter and Television producer, producer who often worked in collaboration with William Link. Life and career Levinson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics in 1956. He served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1958 and married actress Rosanna Huffman in 1969. Levinson was of Jews, Jewish heritage. William Link and Richard Levinson began a 43-year-long friendship in 1946, on their first day of junior high school. Both were avid Ellery Queen fans from boyhood and enjoyed mental puzzles and challenges, a characteristic that would spill over into their work. Beginning with radio scripts, the team wrote plays and then prime-time TV scripts. They went on to co-create and sometimes produce the detective television series ''Columbo'', ''Mannix'', ''Ellery Queen (TV series), Ellery Queen'', ''Murder, She W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since 1854, the city has been coextensive with Philadelphia County, the most populous county in Pennsylvania and the urban core of the Delaware Valley, the nation's seventh-largest and one of world's largest metropolitan regions, with 6.245 million residents . The city's population at the 2020 census was 1,603,797, and over 56 million people live within of Philadelphia. Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn, an English Quaker. The city served as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony during the British colonial era and went on to play a historic and vital role as the central meeting place for the nation's founding fathers whose plans and actions in Philadelphia ultimately inspired the American Revolution and the nation's inde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ellery Queen (TV Series)
''Ellery Queen'' is an American TV drama series, developed by Richard Levinson and William Link, who based it on the fictional character of the same name. The series ran for a single season on NBC from September 11, 1975, to April 4, 1976. Jim Hutton stars as the eponymous sleuth, along with David Wayne as his father, Inspector Richard Queen. Each episode revolves around author Queen investigating a murder, usually with the assistance of his father. The series uses some of the same dramatic devices found in the early Queen novels and radio shows. This includes Hutton breaking the fourth wall, to challenge the viewer to solve the mystery. Plot Set in post-World War II New York City (the first episode is set on New Year's Eve of 1946) the show revolved around author and amateur detective Ellery Queen (Jim Hutton), a bachelor who lives with his widowed father, Inspector Richard Queen (David Wayne). Ellery solves cases while writing his latest book, usually with assistance from hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television. History ''AHMM'' was founded in 1956 by HSD Publications, which licensed the use of the director's name. Though there was no formal connection with the television show, stories published in the magazine were sometimes adapted by the producers of ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (and later, ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour)''. A few writers, such as Henry Slesar, wrote for both. Other contributors during the magazine’s early years included Evan Hunter/Ed McBain, Ed Lacy, Bill Pronzini, Jim Thompson, Donald E. Westlake and Charles Willeford (who briefly worked for the magazine, as did Patricia Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter). In 1975, ''AHMM'' was acquired by Davis Publications, and since 1992 it has been published by Dell Magazines (which also produces its sis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rollercoaster (1977 Film)
''Rollercoaster'' is a 1977 American disaster-suspense film starring George Segal, Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, and Timothy Bottoms, and directed by James Goldstone. It was one of the few films to be shown in Sensurround, which used extended-range bass frequencies to give a sense of vibration to the viewers during the coaster rides. Plot An unnamed man (Timothy Bottoms) (simply called "young man" in the credits) sneaks into Ocean View Amusement Park and places a small radio-controlled bomb on the tracks of the park's wooden roller coaster, The Rocket. The bomb detonates, causing the ride's train to derail, killing and injuring the riders as a result. Safety inspector Harry Calder (George Segal), who initially cleared the ride, is called to the park to investigate. A park worker tells Calder that he saw what he thought was a park maintenance man up on the tracks earlier that day but did not state that the man was someone other than the park had authorized to be there. In Pittsbu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Hindenburg (film)
''The Hindenburg'' is a 1975 American Technicolor disaster film based on the Hindenburg disaster. The film stars George C. Scott. It was produced and directed by Robert Wise, and was written by Nelson Gidding, Richard Levinson and William Link, based on the 1972 book of the same name by Michael M. Mooney. A highly speculative thriller, the film and the book it is based on depict a conspiracy involving sabotage, which leads to the destruction of the German airship '' Hindenburg''. In reality, while the Zeppelins were certainly used as propaganda symbols by Nazi Germany, and anti-Nazi forces might have been motivated to sabotage them, the possibility of such an act was investigated at the time; ultimately, no firm evidence was uncovered to substantiate the theory. A. A. Hoehling, author of the 1962 book ''Who Destroyed the Hindenburg?'', also about the sabotage theory, sued Mooney along with the film developers for copyright infringement as well as unfair competition. However, Judg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blacke's Magic
''Blacke's Magic'' is an American crime drama television series that aired for 13 episodes on NBC, from January 5 to May 7, 1986. Reruns later aired during the fall of 1988, to fill scheduling gaps caused by the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike. Plot Hal Linden stars as magician Alexander Blacke who, with some help from his con-man father Leonard (Harry Morgan), solves mysteries that get in the way of his performances. The series aired for a total of thirteen episodes and featured crimes that tested logic against seemingly magical crimes. The stories were not so much whodunits as "how-he-do-its," for Alex Blacke often had to turn detective to solve the mysteries. Cast Main * Hal Linden as Alexander Blacke * Harry Morgan as Leonard Blacke Recurring * R.J. Adams as Art Baer * Claudia Christian as Laurie Blacke * Pippin Ingalls as Jill * Mark Shera as Lt. Ted Byrnes Episodes Reception Awards * Primetime Emmy Awards 1986 - Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography for a Series ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guilty Conscience (film)
''Guilty Conscience'' is a 1985 American television film, produced by Robert A. Papazian, written by Richard Levinson and William Link, directed by David Greene, starring Anthony Hopkins, Blythe Danner and Swoosie Kurtz. The film score was composed by Billy Goldenberg. It premiered on April 2, 1985 on CBS. Plot Arthur Jamison (Anthony Hopkins), a wealthy criminal defence attorney, is facing a costly divorce from his wife, Louise ( Blythe Danner). Arthur deals with the predicament by imagining numerous schemes in which he kills her. As a defense attorney, Arthur is familiar with both the courts and the minds of criminals, and he spends much of the film consulting an officious imaginary version of himself (a double played by Donegan Smith) for the perfect scheme to rid himself of Louise. Arthur runs each murder, or the subsequent trial, through in his mind, searching for problems, loopholes, and the elusive watertight alibi. Arthur's mistress, Jackie Willis (Swoosie Kurtz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rehearsal For Murder
''Rehearsal for Murder'' is an American murder mystery television film starring Robert Preston (actor), Robert Preston and Lynn Redgrave, and directed by David Greene (director), David Greene. The script, written by Richard Levinson and William Link, won a 1983 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. It originally aired on the CBS Television Network on May 26, 1982. Plot (Television Film) When his leading lady (and fiancée) Monica Welles (Redgrave) is found dead from an apparent suicide after the opening night of her Broadway stage debut, playwright Alex Dennison (Preston) is left heartbroken. On the first anniversary of her death, he gathers the cast and crew from that ill-fated night in the same Broadway theater, ostensibly to read a new play he is working on, a mystery in which a famous actress is killed. As the reading progresses, the scenes seem to the cast to be uncomfortably close to actual encounters they might have had with Monica. When pressed, Alex finally r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Execution Of Private Slovik
''The Execution of Private Slovik'' is a nonfiction book by William Bradford Huie, published in 1954, and an American made-for-television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. The film was written for the screen by Richard Levinson, William Link, and director Lamont Johnson; the film stars Martin Sheen, and also features Charlie Sheen in his second film in a small role. Plot The book and the film tell the story of Private Eddie Slovik, the only American military service-member who has been executed for desertion (during World War II) since the Civil War. Background The film starred Martin Sheen as Private Slovik, a performance for which he received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama. Sheen said he did not think actors should be compared, and made it clear he would refuse the award. Many critics and viewers consider this to be one of Sheen's finest performances. Among the other Emmy Award nominations, the film was named for "Outstanding Special". The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Judge And Jake Wyler
''The Judge and Jake Wyler'' is a 1972 American TV movie directed by David Lowell Rich. The teleplay was written by Richard Levinson, William Link, and David Shaw. It was produced by Universal Television and broadcast by NBC on December 2, 1972. The title characters are a hypochondriac former judge who owns a private detective agency and her parolee partner. The two are hired by Alicia Dodd to investigate the alleged suicide of her father, whom she suspects was really a murder victim. Production notes The film was a pilot for a proposed weekly series that failed to make the network's schedule. Earlier that year, Bette Davis had starred in ''Madame Sin'', a pilot for ABC that also failed to sell. In 1973, the character of Judge Meredith resurfaced in the form of Lee Grant in the TV movie ''Partners in Crime'', scripted by Shaw and directed by Jack Smight. This, too, was a pilot that went no further than its initial airing. Cast * Bette Davis as Judge Meredith * Doug McClure as Jak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
That Certain Summer
''That Certain Summer'' is a 1972 American made-for-television drama film directed by Lamont Johnson. The teleplay by Richard Levinson and William Link was considered the first sympathetic depiction of gay people on American television. Produced by Universal Television, it was broadcast as an ''ABC Movie of the Week'' on November 1, 1972, and received a number of television awards and nominations. The movie was also recognized as being the first network drama to depict a stable, same-sex couple; the first to depict a gay parent; and the first gay themed show to win an Emmy, with Scott Jacoby winning for his performance. A novelization of the film written by Burton Wohl was published by Bantam Books. Plot Divorced San Francisco contractor Doug Salter is looking forward to a summer visit from his 14-year-old son Nick, who lives in Los Angeles with his mother Janet. The boy does not know that his father is gay and in a committed relationship to Gary McClain, his life partner of sev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
My Sweet Charlie
''My Sweet Charlie'' is a 1970 American made-for-television drama film directed by Lamont Johnson. The teleplay by Richard Levinson and William Link is based on the novel of the same name by David Westheimer. Produced by Universal Television and broadcast by NBC on January 20, 1970, it later had a brief theatrical release. It is considered a landmark in television films. The film was made on location in Port Bolivar, Texas. Synopsis Set during the Civil Rights Movement, Charlie Roberts is a militant African American attorney from New York City falsely accused of murder during a demonstration in rural Texas. Escaping from his captors, Charlie breaks into a vacant coastal vacation home, where he encounters white Marlene Chambers, an uneducated, prejudiced, unwed pregnant teenager who has been shunned by her father and boyfriend due to her pregnancy and who sought refuge in the vacant home a few weeks before Charlie arrives. Realizing their survival depends upon their willingness to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
