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Jack Laird

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For the New Zealand potter, see Jack Laird (potter).
Jack Laird
Born
Jack Laird Schultheis

(1923-05-08)May 8, 1923
Monrovia, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 1991(1991-12-03) (aged 68)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeHollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupations
Years active1949–1990
SpouseCicely Ann Browne (1948-?)

Peggy Jackson (1959-1964)

Jeri Emmett (1964-1974)
Children3

Jack Laird (born Jack Laird Schultheis; May 8, 1923 – December 3, 1991) was an American screenwriter, producer, director, and actor. He received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his works in Ben Casey, Night Gallery, and Kojak.

Early life

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Laird was born on May 8, 1923, in Monrovia, California, to Leonard Schultheis, a businessman, and Thelma Laird, a Theater Director who taught night school dramatics, and from whom Laird took classes, in his high school years he was art editor of the school newspaper, while a student at Pasadena Junior College, Laird formed his dance band "Aris Laird and his ARIStocrats of Swing", the group was made up of players who later joined the likes of Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Les Brown, the band broke up when Laird enlisted in the Army Air Force during World War II, he was assigned as a pilot in the Ninth Air Force, he served with the First Allied Airborne while stationed in Manchester, England.

Career

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Laird entered the entertainment industry at a young age. One of his first appearances as a child actor was in an unbilled bit part in the 1934 film The Circus Clown. After his discharge from the army, Laird resumed civilian life in New York, where he enrolled at the Dramatic Workshop and studied playwriting under John Gassner, he returned to Hollywood for a screen test and ultimately starred in a series of movie and radio roles, including the radio crime drama This Is Your FBI, his television appearances include episodes of Fireside Theatre, Ben Casey and Ironside. He eventually moved into writing and producing, writing for various television shows, such as The Lone Ranger, The Millionaire, M Squad, Highway Patrol, Private Secretary, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Ford Theatre, The Wild Wild West, The Ann Sothern Show, Mr. District Attorney, and Have Gun – Will Travel.[1] Laird distinguished himself as a writer and story editor on the medical show Ben Casey, eventually becoming an associate producer, he would receive an Emmy nomination in 1962 for his work on the Episode "I Remember a Lemon Tree", he then went on to write and produce independent projects for Universal Studio. In the 1970s, Laird came into his own as a Writer, Director, and Producer, working on such shows as The Psychiatrist, Night Gallery, Kojak, and many more.[2][3][4]

One of Laird's favorite actors was Leslie Nielsen with whom he made several made-for-TV movies, including 1964's See How They Run, the first feature in that genre,[5][6] Code Name: Heraclitus, Dark Intruder, The Return of Charlie Chan and numerous TV episodes. Nielsen also starred in a series produced by Laird was evidently an admirer of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. He based at least two episodes of Night Gallery on Lovecraft's work – "Pickman's Model" (based directly on the Lovecraft story of the same title Pickman's Model) and "Professor Peabody's Last Lecture". The dialogue of the 1965 horror movie Dark Intruder, produced by Laird, includes some references to alien beings invented by Lovecraft, tying the film to Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. In an early scene where Brett Kingsford meets with the police commissioner, opines that "gods older than the human race...deities like Dagon and Azathoth still have worshippers."

Personal life

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On January 17, 1948, Laird married his first wife, actress Cicely Ann Browne, but due to their careers, the marriage ended, Browne retained custody of their son, Sean. On February 22, 1959, Laird married his second wife, Peggy Jackson, a young stage actress who would later appear on the medical show Ben Casey as Nurse Van Buren, they had a daughter, Sharon, after five years, Jackson and Laird divorced. In November 1964, Laird married his third wife, Jeri Emmett, a former Playboy Bunny turned writer, they had a daughter, Persephone, through his marriage to Emmett, Laird would become step-father to her other children, Kurtis, Michael, and Journey, Emmett had written a few episodes for such television shows as, The Fugitive, Iron Horse, The Bold Ones: The Protectors (under the name Betty Deveraux),[7] and Mannix, as well as a Television Series Treatment called "Confessions of a Den Mother", and a book about her days working at the playboy club called "Point Your Tail in The Right Direction".

He was an avid film collector and jazz fan.[8]

Death

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Laird died of heart disease on December 3, 1991, in Los Angeles at the age of 68. His final resting place in Hollywood Forever Cemetery is in the "Garden of Legends" (formerly Section 8), Lot 266. His grave is next to the cenotaph of actress Jayne Mansfield.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Credit Notes
1934 The Circus Clown Actor (Uncredited) Role: Child
1949 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College Actor (Uncredited) Role: Dr. Phillips
Sword in the Desert Actor (Uncredited) Role: Orderly
1950 Francis Actor (Uncredited) Role: Switchboard Operator
1951 Call Me Mister Actor (Uncredited) Role: Soldier
Journey into Light Actor (Uncredited) Role: Worms
1964 The Hanged Man Writer Television Movie, Co-Wrote Screenplay with "Stanford Whitmore"
See How They Run Producer
1965 Dark Intruder Producer
1967 Code Name: Heraclitus Producer
How I Spent My Summer Vacation Producer
Ready and Willing Producer
1968 Shadow Over Elveron Producer
1969 Trial Run Producer
Destiny of a Spy Producer
1970 The Movie Murderer Producer
Hauser's Memory Producer
1973 Amanda Fallon Director, Producer
The Return of Charlie Chan Producer
1975 One of Our Own Writer, Producer
1976 Perilous Voyage Producer
1979 Beggarman, Thief Producer
1981 Hellinger's Law Writer, Executive Producer Co-Wrote Screenplay with "Peter S. Fischer"
1990 Kojak: It's Always Something Writer
Kojak: None So Blind Writer Co-Wrote Screenplay with "Scott Shepherd"
The Bride in Black Writer Co-Wrote Story with "Claire Labine"

Television

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Year TV Series Credit Notes
1951 Racket Squad Writer 1 Episode
1952 China Smith Writer Unknown Episodes
Rebound Actor 2 Episodes
Your Jeweler's Showcase Writer 1 Episode
The Unexpected Writer 2 Episodes
1953 The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok Writer 1 Episode
The Doctor Writer 1 Episode
1954 Waterfront Writer 1 Episode
The New Adventures of China Smith Writer 3 Episodes
Kraft Television Theatre Writer 1 Episode
Private Secretary Writer 1 Episode
1954-55 The Lone Ranger Writer 6 Episodes
Mr. District Attorney Writer 3 Episodes
1955 Fireside Theatre Writer 1 Episode
Brave Eagle Writer 1 Episode
Cavalcade of America Writer 4 Episodes
1955-57 Highway Patrol Writer 4 Episodes
1956 Warner Bros. Presents Writer 2 Episodes
Celebrity Playhouse Writer 4 Episodes
Matinee Theater Writer 5 Episodes
The Man Called X Writer 2 Episodes
1956-57 Dr. Christian Writer 6 Episodes
1957 Men of Annapolis Writer 2 Episode
Code 3 Writer 5 Episodes
Wire Service Writer 1 Episode
1957-58 Broken Arrow Writer 3 Episodes
1957-59 M Squad Writer 12 Episodes
1957-60 The Millionaire Writer 6 Episodes
1958 The Restless Gun Writer 1 Episode
Man Without a Gun Writer 3 Episodes
Target Writer 1 Episode
Rescue 8 Writer 1 Episode
1958-59 Man with a Camera Writer 2 Episodes
Flight Writer 3 Episodes
1958-62 Have Gun – Will Travel Writer 7 Episodes
1959 Tales of Wells Fargo Writer 1 Episode
21 Beacon Street Writer 1 Episode
The Third Man Writer 1 Episode
Dragnet Writer 1 Episode
World of Giants Writer 1 Episode
The Lineup Writer 1 Episode
New York Confidential Writer 2 Episodes
Not for Hire Writer 1 Episode
1959-60 Hotel de Paree Writer 4 Episodes
Bronco Writer 2 Episodes
1959-61 The Rebel Writer 4 Episodes
1960 Pony Express Writer 1 Episode
The Man from Blackhawk Writer 1 Episode
1960-61 Dante Writer 2 Episodes
1960-62 My Three Sons Writer 2 Episodes
1961 The Detectives Writer 1 Episode
The Brothers Brannagan Writer 2 Episodes
1961-65 Ben Casey Writer, Story Editor, Producer, Associate Producer, Actor Multiple Episodes
1964 Channing Writer, Producer, Executive Producer 17 Episodes
Kraft Suspense Theatre Producer 2 Episodes
1964-67 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Writer, Director, Producer Multiple Episodes
1966 The Wild Wild West Writer 2 Episodes
1969-70 The Bold Ones: The Protectors Executive Producer 5 Episodes
1970 The Psychiatrist Story Consultant 1 Episode
1970-73 Night Gallery Writer, Director, Producer, Actor 43 Episodes
1972-73 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Producer 2 Episodes
1973 Dr. Simon Locke Writer 1 Episode
1973-77 Kojak Writer, Supervising Producer 78 Episodes
1975-76 Doctors' Hospital Writer, Producer 13 Episodes
1976-77 Switch Producer, Supervising Producer 9 Episodes
1977 Testimony of Two Men Producer 3 Episodes
1978 The Dark Secret of Harvest Home Producer 2 Episodes
What Really Happened to the Class of '65? Writer, Producer 4 Episodes
1981 The Gangster Chronicles Producer 13 Episodes
1984 Whiz Kids Writer (Uncredited) 1 Episode
1984-85 Deadly Nightmares Production Consultant 10 Episodes
1985 Hell Town Writer 1 Episode
The Insiders Writer 2 Episodes

Unproduced Projects

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Throughout his career Jack Laird had a number of projects that were never produced or broadcast:

  • From The 1950s to the 1960s, Laird wrote several spec scripts, which included, "Red Wolf Crossing", which was an adaptation of the Will Henry novel "To Follow a Flag", "A God in a Garden", which was based on an original story by Theodore Sturgeon, "An Extenuating Circumstance", a screenplay Laird co-wrote with Charles F. Haas, that was adapted from the story "A Coward" By Guy de Maupassant, "The Steel Trap", which was based on a story by William T. Orr, "Three Marked Pennies", which was based on a story By Mary Elizabeth Counselman, "Four Cornered Triangle" an original screenplay Laird wrote, "A Day Off", which was based on a story By Walter Gilkyson,[9] he was also set to produce five projects, "Crime! Pleasant Dreams Sweet Celia", a screenplay written by Gene R. Kearney, "Out of the Darkness", a screenplay written by Barré Lyndon[10] and Alvin Sapinsley, "Fires, Bombs, and Patriots", a screenplay written by Abby Mann,[11] "The Invisible Man", based on the H. G. Wells novel of the same name that was adapted by Howard Rodman,[12] and "The Other Place", a screenplay written by Theodore Sturgeon.[13]
  • In early 1967, Laird and Herman Miller had written an early draft of Coogan's Bluff.
  • In 1969, Laird was attached to two film projects that were never produced, "The Richest Hill on Earth" which was written by Halsted Welles (Based on a treatment by Laird), and "Unit Theta", which was written by Wilton Schiller.
  • From the 1950s to the 1980s, Laird had written or had developed several Television Series Treatments that were never picked up called "Daniel Boone: The Gun Runners",[14] "Talmadge", "Brute Force", "Atonement", "...& Cucamonga", "E.Z. Wheeler: Ex-Cop", "In The Name of the Law", "Newsroom",[15] "Code Name: Damocles"[16] "Senior Year", "The Lorne Greene Project", and "Tokatyan".
  • At the time of his death, Laird was working on a television series based on stories by thriller writer Robert Ludlum[2]
  • In 1967, he created an unsold comedy pilot, The Return of the Original Yellow Tornado, about two elderly, retired superheroes Mickey Rooney is the original Yellow Tornado and Eddie Mayehoff is his retired sidekick who must once again don their leotards to do battle with a super-villain who has been set free and has vowed to destroy the world. The pilot was eventually expanded to a film-that was never released.[17][18]
  • In 1972, he worked as producer on one of the pilot episodes produced for Biography, an unsold TV series. Four pilots were completed and eventually appeared as TV movies, but Laird's episode about Houdini was never filmed.[17]
  • In the 1970s, Laird was attached to several film projects, a spec script he had written called "Hotel Imperial – Tokyo", which was based on an original story by Alan Lee, "Mantrap", a spec script he co-wrote with Wilton Schiller, "The Broken-Field Runner", a screenplay written by Fred Segal, which Laird was going to produce.
  • In 1988, Laird wrote a spec script that was called "Suffer The Little Children".

References

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  1. ^ Lofficier, Jean-Marc (2003-04-15). Into The Twilight Zone: The Rod Serling Programme Guide. ISBN 0-595-27612-1. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
  2. ^ a b "Filmreference.com". Jack Laird Biography. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  3. ^ "Jack Laird filmography". bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  4. ^ "Jack Laird Filmography". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
  5. ^ "Television and the Movie Industry". digitalhistory.uh.edu. Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  6. ^ "Cinema: Film History Since 1880". matthewhunt.com. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  7. ^ "Betty Deveraux". wgfoundation.org. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  8. ^ Skelton, Scott; Benson, Jim (1999). Rod Serling's Night Gallery: An After-Hours Tour. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-2782-1.
  9. ^ "1950'S TV SCRIPTS JACK LAIRD ANTHOLOGY #4 BOUND VOLUME". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  10. ^ "1967 UNPRECEDENTED SCRIPT-OUT OF THE DARKNESS – LAIRD". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  11. ^ "1971 UNIQUE & ORIGINAL TV SCRIPT-FIRES, BOMBS & PATRIOTS-LAIRD COLLECTION". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  12. ^ "CIRCA 1960 INCOMPARABLE TV SCREENPLAY TREATMENT-THE INVISIBLE MAN-LAIRD". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  13. ^ "THEODORE STURGEON 1966 SCRIPT "THE OTHER PLACE" JACK LAIRD UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TV". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  14. ^ "RARE 1954 FIRST EPISODE DANIEL BOONE TV SCRIPT EARLY TELEVISION UN-MADE PILOT". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  15. ^ "1970'S PILOT SCRIPTS JACK LAIRD CREATED / WRITTEN BOUND VOLUME TELEVISION SHOWS". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  16. ^ "ORIGINAL TV PREMISE CIRCA 1970 – CODE NAME: DAMOCLES – JACK LAIRD COLLECTION". worthpoint.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  17. ^ a b "Internet Movie Database". Jack Laird – Other Works. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  18. ^ "Mickey Rooney and Eddie Mayehoff as Superheroes to compete with Batman- The Return of the Original Yellow Tornado, Captain Nice and Mr. Terrific". thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
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