Jump to content

Paul Monash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paul Monash
Born(1917-06-14)June 14, 1917
Harlem,New York City,New York,United States
DiedJanuary 14, 2003(2003-01-14)(aged 85)
Los Angeles,California,United States
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, television producer, film producer

Paul Monash(June 14, 1917 – January 14, 2003) was an American television and film producer and screenwriter.

Life and career

[edit]

Paul Monash was born inHarlem,New York, in 1917, and grew up inThe Bronx.His mother, Rhoda Melrose, acted in silent films. Monash earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madisonand a master's degree in education fromColumbia University.[1]An aspiring novelist, he rode the rails across the United States, served as amerchant marine,lived as an expatriate in Paris, and studied art.[2]

Monash won early acclaim for his writing for television, including his work on the pioneer anthology seriesStudio One,SuspenseandPlayhouse 90.He received anEmmy Awardfor "The Lonely Wizard," a 1957 episode ofSchlitz Playhouse of Starsthat starredRod Steiger.[3]Monash wrote and produced the pilot for the TV seriesThe Untouchables(1959), shown in two parts onDesilu Playhouseand edited as a feature film for distribution in Europe. He also wrote some episodes of the 1958–1959NBCdocudramaabout theCold War,Behind Closed Doors,hosted by and starringBruce Gordon.[4]

After the success ofThe Untouchables,Monash was asked to createPeyton Place(1964–1969), anABC-TV series that was the first prime-time serialized drama on American television.

His film production credits includeButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(1969),Slaughterhouse-Five(1972),The Front Page(1974) andCarrie(1976). Monash produced the feature filmThe Friends of Eddie Coyle(1973), a dark, critically acclaimed crime drama starringRobert Mitchum,and also adapted theGeorge V. Higginsnovelfor the screen.

Monash wrote the 1979CBS-TV adaption ofAll Quiet on the Western Front,aHallmark Hall of Fameproduction that received aGolden Globe Awardfor Best Motion Picture Made for Television. His screenplay for theHBOfilmStalin(1992) was nominated for an Emmy Award; and Monash received theHumanitas Prizefor his teleplay for theTNTfilmGeorge Wallace(1997).

His final credit was theA&E Networkoriginal film,The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery(2000), a critically praised adaption of theRex Stoutnovel.[5]The TV movie first aired March 5, 2000, the same day that theWriters Guild of America, west,presented the 83-year-old Monash with the Paddy Chayefsky award for lifetime achievement. It is the guild's highest award, given to writers who have "advanced the literature of television through the years."[6]

Paul Monash died of pancreatic cancer January 14, 2003, in Los Angeles.[2]

Filmography

[edit]

Writer

[edit]

Producer

[edit]

Awards

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Paul Monash, 85, producer of television and film classics,"The Star-Ledger,January 16, 2003
  2. ^abNorth, Gary,Paul Monash: Writer, producer;Variety,January 15, 2003
  3. ^"The Lonely Wizard"at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ^"Behind Closed Doors'".ctva.biz.RetrievedSeptember 2,2009.
  5. ^Vallance, Tom,Paul Monash, Film Producer and Screenwriter[dead link];The Independent(London), January 17, 2003
  6. ^WGAW fetes Monash with Chayefsky award;Variety,January 10, 2000
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Monash&oldid=1242836547"