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William Spier

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William Spier
Spier in 1949
Born
William Hannan Spier

October 16, 1906
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 30, 1973(1973-05-30)(aged 66)
Weston, Connecticut,U.S.
Occupation(s)Writer, producer, director
Spouses
Mary Scanlan
​
​
(m.1929;div.1939)​
​
​
(m.1942;div.1947)​
​
​
(m.1948)​
Children3
RelativesRose Thompson Hovick(mother-in-law)
Gypsy Rose Lee(sister-in-law)

William Hannan Spier(October 16, 1906 – May 30, 1973)[1]was an American writer, producer, and director for television and radio. He is best known for his radio work, notablySuspenseandThe Adventures of Sam Spade.

Early life

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William Hannan Spier (pronounced like the word “spear” ) was born in New York City to a Jewish father and a Presbyterian mother. Spier graduated from Evander Childs High School.[2]

Early career

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At age 19, Spier was hired atMusical Americamagazine, which was edited byDeems Taylor.[3]He eventually became the chief critic for the magazine.[4]

Radio

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In 1929, Spier was hired at the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborn.[4]At the agency, he produced and directed radio shows, such asThe Atwater Kent Hour,an hour-long Sunday night presentation of Metropolitan Opera singers;General Motors' Family Party;andEthyl Tune-Up Time.[5]In 1936, he directed and co-wroteThe March of Timeprogram, hiringOrson Wellesfor his first job in radio.[6] In 1940, Spier became chief of the writers' department and director of program development at the Columbia Broadcasting Company ( “CBS” ).[7]At the same time, he was co-director, co-producer and some-time writer ofSuspense,an anthology program of mysteries and thrillers, andDuffy's Tavern.[8]

In 1941, Spier relocated to Los Angeles, which gave him access to a larger and better known talent pool.[9]Guest stars forSuspenseepisodes includedLucille Ball,Cary Grant,Kirk Douglas,Joan Crawford,Bette Davis,Joan Fontaine,Judy Garland,Rita Hayworth,Marlene Dietrich,Richard WidmarkandWilliam Holden.Suspensehad become increasingly popular; for the 1949–50 season, the program ranked number eight of the top 10 programs.[10] The best known episode of the series was “Sorry Wrong Number,” starringAgnes Moorehead,in which a bed-ridden woman who by a chance incorrect phone connection overhears two men planning to murder a woman at 11:15 p.m.[11]The episode was so popular that it was repeated eight times during the run of the series.[12]The episode was even recorded on two 12-inch discs on Decca Records in 1943, becoming the number three most popular recording.[13]The episode was eventually expanded for a successful film production, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster.[14]

In 1946, Spier directed, produced and sometimes wrote the radio seriesThe Adventures of Sam Spade,based upon the detective created byDashiell Hammett.[4]Howard Duffstarred as Sam Spade withLurene Tuttleportraying his loyal secretary Effie.[15]He also produced two anthology series:The Clock(radio) andThe James and Pamela Mason Show.[4]A 1949 magazine article said Spier "is generally rated radio's top-notch creator of suspense-type dramas.”[8]

Television

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June Havoc inWillyin 1954

In 1952, Spier introduced TV's first 90-minute show,Omnibus,for CBS. He producedMedallion Theatreon NBC in 1953–54.[16]He created (with Louis Pelletier), produced, directed, and wrote for the 1954–1955 CBS situation comedyWilly,starringJune Havoc.[17]In some respects, the show was ahead of its time in that Havoc's character, Willa “Willy” Dodger, was an unmarried lawyer with her own legal practice in a small New England town.[17]The show was aDesiluproduction,[17]and likeI Love Lucy,Willywas filmed before a live studio audience.[17]Willywas broadcast at 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays opposite the popular NBC series,Your Hit Parade.Midway through the season, an attempt was made to increase ratings by having Havoc's character relocate to New York to represent show business clients; however, the show only lasted one season.[18] In 1956, Spier produced three episodes ofMan Against Crime.[citation needed]He subsequently limited his career in television to writing scripts for such television series asThe Lineup,Peter GunnandThe Untouchables.[4]

Film

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In 1954, Spier co-directed, with Roy Kellino, the filmLady Possessed,starringJames Masonand Havoc, with a screenplay written by Mason and his wife,Pamela Mason,based upon her novelDel Palma.[19]Spier and his ex-wife, actress and singerKay Thompson,wrote a song for the film, “More Wonderful Than These.”[19] He wrote the original screenplay for the filmTam-Lin(1970), directed byRoddy McDowalland starringAva Gardner.He also wrote the lyrics to the film’s theme song, “Sun In My Eyes,” with music by Salena Jones.[citation needed]

Personal life

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June Havoc and her husband William Spier attending the races in 1951

Spier was married to Mary Scanlan from 1929 to 1939 and had three children with her: Peter, Greta, and Margaret.[20]On July 21, 1941, the CBS programForecast,produced by Spier, broadcast a pilot comedy “51 East 51,” starring Thompson.[21]In the process of developing this program, Thompson and Spier became reacquainted, having worked together in the past.[22]They were married in 1942.[23]Thompson and Spier became godparents toLiza Minnelli,due to their personal and professional relationships with her parents,Judy GarlandandVincente Minnelli.[24] On June 12, 1947,June Havocmade her first appearance onSuspense,starring in an episode titled “Stand-In.”[25]During the next six months, Havoc starred in four more episodes and appeared uncredited in several more episodes.[26]Thompson and Spier divorced in 1947, and Havoc and he married in 1948.[4]This marriage lasted until his death in 1973.[4]

Death

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Spier died, aged 66, at the home he shared with Havoc in Weston, Connecticut.[27]

Awards

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In 1945, Spier, along with co-writer Robert L. Richards, was nominated for theHugo Awardfor best dramatic presentation – short form for the two-part episode “Donovan’s Brain” onSuspense.[citation needed]

Suspensereceived aPeabody Award– Honorable Mention in 1946.[citation needed]

In 1946, the Mystery Writers of America Award (nowEdgar Award) for best radio drama was given toThe Adventures of Sam Spade.[28]

Spier received a Writers' Guild of America Award for best episode longer than 30 minutes in length for the two-episode script “The Unhired Assassin” forThe Untouchablesin 1962.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^Biodata,ancestry.com; accessed September 29, 2015.(subscription required)
  2. ^radiospiritsinfo/2013/12/05/happy-birthday-william-spier,accessed on January 2, 2021.
  3. ^radiospiritsinfo/2013/12/05/happy-birthday-william-spier, accessed on January 2, 2021 ( “radiospirits” ).
  4. ^abcdefgradiospirits
  5. ^radiospirits; “William H. Spier, TV Producer Is Dead,”New York TimesJune 1, 1973, p. 38 ( “obituary” ).
  6. ^radiospirits; obituary.
  7. ^”William Spier”Radio and Television MirrorAugust 19, 1949 p. 19 ( “Mirror” ), accessed May 22, 2014
  8. ^abMirror
  9. ^Grams, Martin, Jr.Suspense: Twenty Years of Thrills and Chills(1997) Morris Publishing, p. 29 ( “Grams” )
  10. ^mercurieblogspot.com/2015/suspense-from-classic-radio-show-to-hit_28.html, accessed January 7, 2012.
  11. ^Grams, p. 21.
  12. ^Grams, p. 22.
  13. ^Grams, p. 50
  14. ^Grams, pp. 74–77.
  15. ^radio spirits
  16. ^”The Man Behind Medallion Theatre” (pdf), Radio and Television Mirror, November 16, 1953, p. 16.
  17. ^abcd"Havoc's Here,"TV GuideOctober 30, 1954, pp. 16–17.
  18. ^"Lady Lawyer Practices Law,"TV GuideMay 7–13, 1955, p. 12.
  19. ^abGrams, p. 104.
  20. ^Irvin, Sam (2010)Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise.Simon & Schuster, p. 134.
  21. ^Irvin, Sam (2010)Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise.Simon & Schuster, pp. 81-82 ( “Irvin” ).
  22. ^Irvin, p. 72
  23. ^Irvin, p. 92.
  24. ^Irvin, p. 134.
  25. ^Grams, p.212.
  26. ^Grams, pp. 61-62, 216-218.
  27. ^obituary
  28. ^theedgars.com/awards, accessed January 3, 2021.
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