Burt Prelutsky (January 5, 1940 – December 17, 2021) was an American screenwriter, newspaper columnist, and author.

Early life and career

A graduate of Fairfax High School, Prelutsky was a film critic for ''

Los Angeles Magazine ''Los Angeles'' magazine is a monthly publication dedicated to covering Los Angeles. Founded in the spring of 1961 by David Brown, the magazine is currently owned and published by Hour Media Group, LLC. Los Angeles magazine's combination of feat ...

'' from 1961 to 1971, writing acerbic reviews that gained him a reputation as "the fastest barb in the west." He also wrote a weekly column for the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

' ''magazine'', '' ''West.'' In the late 1960s he wrote several episodes of the '' Dragnet'' TV series. He wrote eight episodes of the

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. The ...

TV series during seasons four, five, and six, including ''

The Novocaine Mutiny "The Novocaine Mutiny" is an episode from the TV series ''M*A*S*H'', the twentieth episode of its fourth season. It was aired on January 27, 1976, was written by Burt Prelutsky and directed by Harry Morgan. As Prelutsky had written a number of ep ...

'', '' The General's Practitioner'', ''The Grim Reaper'' and ''

Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler? "Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler?" was the 82nd episode of the ''M*A*S*H'' television series, and the tenth of season four. The episode aired on November 7, 1975. " Quo Vadis" is Latin for "Where are you going?" and is a reference to a conversation r ...

'' In 2000 Prelutsky was one of the earliest plaintiffs to sign on to a class action lawsuit brought against television talent agencies, networks and production studios accused of discrimination against older writers. The suit was settled in 2010 for $70 million.

Awards and recognition

In 1985 Prelutsky won a

Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility Th ...

in the original comedy anthology category for the 1983

TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

''Hobson's Choice.'' He was nominated for an

Edgar Allan Poe Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

in 1982 under the category "Best Television Feature or Miniseries" for his work on the 1981 television movie ''A Small Killing'', and in 1976 was nominated for a

Humanitas Prize The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing, and is given to writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced and meaningful way. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser—also the founder of Paulist P ...

in the category "30 Minute Network or Syndicated Television" for his work on the ''Quo Vadis'' 1975 episode of the television program ''

''. He received a

Christopher Award The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organization ...

in 1987 for '' A Winner Never Quits'', a TV movie that was broadcast on CBS in 1986.

Personal life and death

Prelutsky died on December 17, 2021, at the age of 81.

References

External links

Burt Prelutsky
a
The Patriot Post

BurtPrelutsky.com
(archived)
Burt Prelutsky
at

Townhall.com Townhall is an American Conservatism in the United States, politically conservative website, print magazine and radio news service. Previously published by The Heritage Foundation, it is now owned and operated by Salem Communications. The websit ...

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Prelutsky, Burt 1940 births 2021 deaths American screenwriters Writers from Chicago Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) alumni