Oliver Hailey

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Oliver Hailey
BornJuly 7, 1932
Pampa, Texas, US
DiedJanuary 23, 1993(1993-01-23) (aged 60)
Los Angeles, California, US
OccupationScreenwriter, playwright
SpouseElizabeth Forsythe Hailey
Children2, including Kendall Hailey

Oliver Hailey (July 7, 1932 – January 23, 1993) was an American screenwriter and playwright. Hailey's television writing credits include episodes of Bracken's World and McMillan & Wife. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for writing the 1981 television film Sidney Shorr: A Girl's Best Friend. As a playwright, Hailey wrote over 20 plays, three of which were produced on Broadway.

Career[edit]

Hailey wrote for various television series including episodes of Bracken's World,[1] McMillan & Wife, Family, and The Cosby Show.[2][3] He also co-wrote the screenplay for the 1979 theatrical film Just You and Me, Kid, and wrote the 1981 television films Isabel's Choice and Sidney Shorr: A Girl's Best Friend,[1] the latter of which featured one of the earliest depictions of a gay man on American prime time television.[4] Sidney Shorr earned Hailey the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Comedy Anthology,[5][6] as well as a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special.[7]

While writing for television and film was Hailey's main livelihood, his preference was for writing stage plays.[8] Hailey wrote over 20 plays, many of which were produced regionally or Off-Broadway.[2] Three of his plays were produced on Broadway:[2] First One Asleep, Whistle opened and closed at the Belasco Theatre on February 26, 1966;[9] Father's Day opened and closed at the John Golden Theatre on March 16, 1971;[10] and I Won't Dance opened and closed at the Helen Hayes Theatre on May 10, 1981.[11] All three of his Broadway plays closed after playing just one regular performance each,[2][12] with one reviewer describing Hailey as the "most produced, least successful" New York theater playwright.[2] Despite only running for one performance, the Broadway production of Father's Day received nominations for Best Actress in a Play (Marian Seldes) and Best Scenic Design (Jo Mielziner) at the 25th Tony Awards.[10][12]

Many of Hailey's works fall under the "black comedy" genre, with a common theme of exploring familial and personal relationships.[2] Hailey said his plays are mainly the result of him trying to find humorous takes on a serious subject matter. He added: "I try not to start writing until I have found a comic point of view for the material."[3]

Personal life[edit]

Hailey was born on July 7, 1932, in Pampa, Texas.[13] His parents were Oliver D. and Hallie May Hailey (née Thomas); his father worked as a butcher.[1] When he was young, Hailey was determined to move out of his hometown and used to dream about one day writing a book called Content to be Common, which was to be "all about those people who were content to stay in tiny little houses in that Godforsaken town in West Texas."[8]

After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1954,[1] Hailey spent three years serving in the United States Air Force.[2] He worked as a reporter for The Dallas Morning News from 1957 to 1959,[13] and graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1962.[2]

Hailey met journalist Elizabeth Forsythe while working for The Dallas Morning News. The couple were married in 1960 and have two daughters, Brooke and Kendall Hailey.[2] Hailey died from liver cancer on January 23, 1993, at the age of 60.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Oliver Hailey". Contemporary Authors. Gale. 2000. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Gale In Context: Biography.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Faison, Seth (January 24, 1993). "Oliver Hailey, 60, Author of Plays And Scripts". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Folkart, Burt A. (January 25, 1993). "Oliver Hailey; Successful Regional Playwright, TV Writer". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Kilmer-Purcell, Josh (September 14, 2009). "Good Reception". The Advocate. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  5. ^ "Nominees for Writers Guild Awards". Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1983. p. 22. Retrieved December 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Writers honor 'E.T.,' 'Tootsie'". The Miami Herald. April 9, 1983. p. 6C. Retrieved December 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Sidney Shorr". emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Dinsdale, Katherine (July 1, 1984). "Elizabeth & Oliver". D Magazine. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "First One Asleep, Whistle". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Father's Day". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  11. ^ "I Won't Dance". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Oliver Hailey". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 11. Gale. 1993. ISSN 0749-064X. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Gale In Context: Biography.
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