James Lee Barrett (November 19, 1929 – October 15, 1989) was an American author, producer and screenwriter.

Biography

Barrett was born in 1929 in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

and graduated in 1950 from

Anderson University (South Carolina) Anderson University is a private Christian university in Anderson, South Carolina. It offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in over 100 areas of study. Anderson is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention and is accr ...

. Prior to his career as a screenwriter, he served in the

United States Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...

. His first screenplay (based on his teleplay ''The Murder of a Sand Flea'') was for the 1957 film, '' The D.I.'', which starred Jack Webb as a Marine Corps

drill instructor A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors. Australia Austr ...

MCRD Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (often abbreviated as MCRD PI) is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. ...

. Barrett had been on Parris Island as a recruit in 1950 and served in the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

.We...the Marines: Anonymous. Leatherneck ; Quantico Vol. 53, Iss. 10, (Oct 1970): 72-75. Barrett, along with Peter Udell and Phillip Rose won the 1975

Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken, non-sung dialogue, and storyline of a musical play. Eligibility is restricted to works with original narrative framework; plotless revues and revivals are ineligib ...

for ''Shenandoah'', which was based on his 1965 film by the same name, which starred James Stewart. Other notable works written by Barrett include the 1965 epic film ''

The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film produced and directed by George Stevens. It is a retelling of the Biblical account about Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity through to the Ascension. Along with the ensemble cast ...

'', ''

Smokey and the Bandit ''Smokey and the Bandit'' is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham, the film follows ...

'', '' The Green Berets'', ''

Bandolero! ''Bandolero!'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch and George Kennedy. The story centers on two brothers on the run from a posse, led by a local sheriff who want ...

'' and co-writing '' On the Beach''. Barrett also scripted a made-for-TV remake of ''

The Defiant Ones ''The Defiant Ones'' is a 1958 American adventure drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier ...

'' (which starred

Carl Weathers Carl Weathers (born January 14, 1948) is an American actor and former professional football player. He is known for his roles as boxer Apollo Creed in the first four ''Rocky'' films (1976–85), George Dillon in '' Predator'' (1987), Action Ja ...

and

Robert Urich Robert Michael Urich (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002) was an American film, television, and stage actor, and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series. Urich began his ca ...

in the Sidney Poitier and

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...

roles), and adapted the 1967 movie '' In the Heat of the Night'' for a weekly series. (The show starred

Carroll O'Connor John Carroll O'Connor (August 2, 1924 – June 21, 2001) was an American actor, producer, and director whose television career spanned over four decades. He became a lifelong member of the Actors Studio in 1971. O'Connor found widespread fame a ...

and

Howard Rollins Howard Ellsworth Rollins Jr. (October 17, 1950 – December 8, 1996) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Howard Rollins was best known for his role as Andrew Young in 1978's ''King (TV miniseries), King'', George Haley in the 1979 ...

, in the Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier roles.) Barrett wrote and produced '' ...tick...tick...tick...'', a similarly themed Southern crime drama starring Jim Brown and George Kennedy.

Death

Barrett died in

Templeton, California Templeton is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Luis Obispo County, California. The population was 7,674 at the 2010 census, up from 4,687 at the 2000 census. Geography and climate Geography Templeton is located at (35.553847, −120.70 ...

in 1989 of cancer, aged 59.

Select Credits

*''

Chevron Hall of Stars ''Chevron Hall of Stars'' is an American television anthology series which aired in 1956 in first-run syndication. It was produced by Four Star Productions, and was a half-hour series. Gene Roddenberry’s script ''The Secret Weapon of 117 ...

'' - "Cold Harbor" (1956) *''Chevron Hall of Stars'' - "Heart of a Dream" (1956) *''

Kraft Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Cheese ...

'' - "The Murder of a Sand Flea" (1956) *''Kraft Theatre'' - "Teddy Bear" (1956) *'' The D.I.'' (1957) *''Kraft Theatre'' - "Run, Joe, Run" (1958) *''Kraft Theatre'' - "Dog in a Bus Tunnel" (1958) *'' Outlaws'' - "The Avenger" (1961) *''Checkmate'' - "Hot Wind on a Cold Town" (1964) *''

'' (1965) *'' The Truth About Spring'' (1965) *'' Shenandoah'' (1965) *''

'' (1968) *'' The Green Berets'' (1968) *'' The Undefeated'' (1969) *'' ...tick... tick... tick...'' (1970) - also produced *''

The Cheyenne Social Club ''The Cheyenne Social Club'' is a 1970 American Western comedy film written by James Lee Barrett, directed and produced by Gene Kelly, and starring James Stewart, Henry Fonda and Shirley Jones. The film is about an aging cowboy who inherits a b ...

'' (1970) - also produced *'' Fools' Parade'' (1971) - also produced *'' Something Big'' (1971) - also produced *''

The Cowboys ''The Cowboys'' is a 1972 American Western film starring John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Bruce Dern, and featuring Colleen Dewhurst and Slim Pickens. It was the feature film debut of Robert Carradine. Based on the 1971 novel of the same name ...

'' (1974) - various episodes *'' Shenandoah'' (1974) (musical) *''

'' (1977) *''

The Awakening Land ''The Awakening Land'' is a 1978 television miniseries based on Conrad Richter's trilogy of novels: '' The Trees''; '' The Fields''; and '' The Town,'' published from 1940 to 1950. The series originally aired on NBC in three installments from ...

'' (1978) *'' Stubby Pringle's Christmas'' (1978) *'' Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure'' (1979) *''

Wild Horse Hank ''Wild Horse Hank'' is a 1979 Canadian adventure drama film directed by Eric Till and starring Linda Blair, Michael Wincott and Richard Crenna. It is based on the 1978 teen novel ''The Wild Horse Killers'' written by Mel Ellis. Plot ''Wild Hor ...

'' (1979) *'' The Day Christ Died'' (1980) *''

Belle Starr Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr (February 5, 1848 – February 3, 1889), better known as Belle Starr, was an American outlaw who gained national notoriety after her violent death. She associated with the James–Younger Gang and other outlaw ...

'' (1980) *'' Angel City'' (1980) *'' You Are the Jury'' (1984) - episode *''

'' (1986) *'' Stagecoach'' (1986) *'' Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo'' (1986) * Our House (1986–88) - creator *'' The Quick and the Dead'' (1987) *''

Poker Alice Alice Ivers Duffield Tubbs Huckert (February 17, 1851 – February 27, 1930), better known as Poker Alice, Poker Alice Ivers or Poker Alice Tubbs, was an English poker and faro player in the American West. Her family moved from Devon, Englan ...

'' (1987) *'' April Morning'' (1988) *'' In the Heat of the Night'' (1988–95) - developed for television *'' Ruby Jean and Joe'' (1996) *'' Warden of Red Rock'' (2001)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, James Lee 1929 births 1989 deaths American male screenwriters Anderson University (South Carolina) alumni Tony Award winners United States Marines Deaths from cancer in California Writers from Charlotte, North Carolina Screenwriters from New York (state) Screenwriters from North Carolina 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War

Biography

Death

Select Credits

See also

References

External links