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Sidney SheldonA classic of the detective genre, the richest writer in the world
Date of Birth: 11.02.1917
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Sidney Sheldon: A Literary Mastermind
- Hollywood Beginnings
- Screenwriting Success
- Television Empire
- From Screen to Page
- Master of Suspense
- Personal Life and Legacy
Sidney Sheldon: A Literary Mastermind
Early Life and InfluencesSidney Sheldon (né Shechtel) was born in Chicago on February 11, 1917, to Russian-Jewish immigrants Asher Shechtel and Natalia Marcus (later adopted the surname Leeds). Inspired by his mother's love of reading, Sheldon began writing poems at an early age and published his first work at just 10 years old.
Hollywood Beginnings
During the Great Depression, Sheldon struggled financially and worked odd jobs. In 1934, he ventured to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting but initially only sold synopses. Nonetheless, he gained recognition for his dramatic talents while attending Northwestern University and became a respected playwright in the student theater group.
Screenwriting Success
In 1937, Sheldon moved back to Hollywood and worked as a script editor and penned low-budget films. With the onset of World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces but was discharged after the closing of his training center. He then relocated to New York, where he wrote Broadway musicals and screenplays for MGM and Paramount Pictures. Known for his prolific output and meticulous rewrites, Sheldon's screenwriting accolades included an Academy Award (later renamed Oscar) for the comedy "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" (1947).
Television Empire
In the early 1960s, Sheldon shifted his focus to television writing. He created "The Patty Duke Show" (1963-1965) and later achieved significant success with the fantasy sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965-1970), for which he penned dozens of episodes under various pseudonyms. However, the exhaustion of working on the show led him to explore a new medium: novels.
From Screen to Page
Sheldon's debut novel, "The Naked Face" (1970), won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The following year, "The Other Side of Midnight" became a No. 1 bestseller on the New York Times list. He continued to write television scripts (including the sitcom "Hart to Hart" from 1975-1984) but increasingly focused on novels.
Master of Suspense
Sheldon's novels typically featured enigmatic events, mounting tension, and suspenseful cliffhangers. He was known as the "Mr. Blockbuster" for his ability to captivate readers with complex plots, intricate puzzles, and strong female characters. He often drew inspiration from his own mother and consulted with intelligence experts to ensure accuracy in his descriptions of espionage and covert operations.
Personal Life and Legacy
Sheldon married three times: to Jane Harding (1945-1948), actress Jorja Cartwright (with whom he had a daughter, Mary, who also became a writer), and actress and designer Alexandra Kostoff. He died of pneumonia at his California ranch in January 2007, just two weeks shy of his 90th birthday. His literary legacy lives on through the numerous bestsellers he wrote and the sequels penned by English author Tilly Bagshawe.
