William Blinn
William Blinn | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Frederick Blinn[1] July 21, 1937 |
| Died | October 22, 2020(aged 83) Burbank, California,United States |
| Occupation(s) | Screenwriter,television producer |
William Frederick Blinn[1](July 21, 1937 – October 22, 2020) was an Americanscreenwriterandtelevision producer.
Life and career[edit]
Blinn was born inToledo, Ohio,the son of Clare Allen and Pearl Ariel (Schaeffer) Blinn.[2]Blinn began his career in television in the 1960s. As a screenwriter, Blinn wrote episodes ofRawhide,Gunsmoke,The Rookies,Here Come the Brides,andShane(where he was also story editor),[3]andFame(where he also served asexecutive producer).[4]In 1971, Blinn wrote the screenplay for thetelevision movieBrian's Songfor which he won anEmmyandPeabody Award.He won a second Emmy in 1977 for his work on theminiseriesRoots.Blinn also created two series for producing mogulAaron Spelling:Starsky & Hutch(Blinn later produced the 2004 filmof the same name);[1]and the less-successfulHeaven Help Us,which co-starredRicardo Montalbán,known for his role inFantasy Island.He was the executive producer of the 1974ABCseriesThe New Land,and he created the short-lived 1977CBSespionageseriesHunterand wrote its unaired 1976 pilot. He was also a writer for the 1996 Hallmark Television filmThe Boys Next Doorbased onthe play of the same name.His other series wereEight Is Enough,Our HouseandFame.
In addition to screenwriting (which includesPurple Rain), Blinn also produced several television series and television movies includingAaron's Way,Polly: Comin' Home!,andPensacola: Wings of Gold.[1]
Death[edit]
Blinn died on October 22, 2020, from natural causes at a retirement home inBurbank, California.[5]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Emmy Award | Won | Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama - Adaptation | Brian's Song |
| 1977 | Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series | Roots(Shared withErnest Kinoy) | ||
| 1982 | Nominated | Outstanding Drama Series | Fame(Shared with Gerald I. Isenberg,Stan Rogow,and Mel Swope) | |
| 1983 | Outstanding Drama Series | Fame(Shared with Mel Swope) | ||
| 1984 | Outstanding Drama Series | Fame(Shared with Ken Ehrlich) | ||
| 1977 | Humanitas Prize | Won | 60 Minute Category | Roots(Shared withJames Leefor episode #4) |
| 1996 | Nominated | 90 Minute Category | The Boys Next Door | |
| 1972 | Peabody Awards | Won | -
|
Brian's Song |
| 1997 | Writers Guild of America Award | Adapted Long Form | The Boys Next Door |
References[edit]
- ^abcd"William Blinn Biography (1937-)".filmreference.com.RetrievedNovember 2,2008.
- ^"Blinn, William 1937– | Encyclopedia.com".
- ^Jonathan Etter (2009).Gangway, Lord! (The) Here Come the Brides Book.BearManor Media. p. 642.ISBN978-1593935061.
- ^Blinn, William (April 20, 2001)."If Hollywood Takes the Credit, It Must Also Share the Blame".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedNovember 2,2008.
- ^Baysinger, Tim (2020-10-24)."William Blinn, 'Starsky & Hutch' Creator and 'Purple Rain' Writer, Dies at 83".TheWrap.Retrieved2020-10-25.
External links[edit]
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| See also | |
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| People | |
| Other | |
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- 1937 births
- 2020 deaths
- Writers from Toledo, Ohio
- American male screenwriters
- Television producers from Ohio
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Peabody Award winners
- Writers Guild of America Award winners
- Screenwriters from Ohio
- Starsky & Hutch
- American screenwriter stubs, 1930s birth stubs
- American television producer stubs