Series Creator Sidney Sheldon Dies At 89 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 01-31-2007, 12:01 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sidney Sheldon, who won awards in three careers - Broadway theater, movies and television - then at age 50 turned to writing best-selling novels about stalwart women who triumph in a hostile world of ruthless men, died Tuesday. He was 89.

Sheldon died of complications from pneumonia at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, said Warren Cowan, his publicist.

Several of his novels became television miniseries, often with the author as producer.

At 17, Sheldon decided to try his luck in Hollywood. The only job he could find was as a reader of prospective film material at Universal Studio for $22 a week. At night he wrote his own screenplays and sold one, "South of Panama," to the studio for $250.

During World War II, he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps. In the New York theater after the war he established his reputation as a prolific writer. Broadway success brought about his return to Hollywood.

His first assignment, "The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer," starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple, brought him the Academy Award for best original screenplay of 1947.

He produced the popular "The Patty Duke Show" and said he wrote nearly every episode for seven years. He also created and produced "I Dream of Jeannie."

"During the last year of 'I Dream of Jeannie,' I decided to try a novel," he said in 1982. The result was "The Naked Face," which was scorned by book reviewers and sold 21,000 copies in hardcover. The novel found a mass market in paperback, reportedly selling 3.1 million. Thereafter Sheldon became a habitue of best-seller lists, often reigning on top.

Chocolate Moose · 01-31-2007, 03:12 PM

I read all of his books and liked them enough to buy most of them!

clj2 · 01-31-2007, 06:40 PM

That's so sad....RIP Mr. Sheldon.

TV Knowledge Fan · 02-01-2007, 05:49 PM

Sidney wrote more than 50 episodes for the series (including those under his three pseudonyms)...and he was THE best writer- he earned an Emmy nomination for his 1966-'67 scripts, but didn't win. Very few of his writing staff could match him for mixing romantic and exaggerated siutations in each script. He saw Jeannie and Tony's situation, as I see it, as "boy meets girl, girl pursues boy, boy is thoroughly embarrassed, but loves girl, anyway".

And who writes like that for TV today??

Subspace · 02-02-2007, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

Sidney wrote more than 50 episodes for the series (including those under his three pseudonyms)...and he was THE best writer- he earned an Emmy nomination for his 1966-'67 scripts, but didn't win. Very few of his writing staff could match him for mixing romantic and exaggerated siutations in each script. He saw Jeannie and Tony's situation, as I see it, as "boy meets girl, girl pursues boy, boy is thoroughly embarrassed, but loves girl, anyway".

And who writes like that for TV today??

Agreed. Sidney Sheldon was the BEST for creating I Dream of Jeannie in the first place and for writing so many excellent episodes for IDOJ. He will be idolized and remembered by all fans of IDOJ - and fans of his other works, as well - for eternity, and we all grieve for his passing and will sorely miss him. RIP Sidney Sheldon. Hope you're in a much better place now... you deserve it.

ClassicTVGal · 02-05-2007, 10:31 PM

I read about his death and wondered if this was the same Sidney Sheldon. I know weird, but oh well...

I am too saddened by this news.

God Bless his family in this time and always.

howilu · 02-07-2007, 01:09 AM

Who would have thought that Sidney Sheldon, who created two of the most beloved gimmck shows of all-time The Patty Duke Show and I Dream of Jeannie would go on to become one of the world's best known novelists?

CAJeannieFan57 · 02-14-2007, 10:04 AM

If anyone is interested -

The Jeannie Sisters sent a sympathy card to Mrs. Alexandra Sheldon (Sidney's wife) and Mary Sheldon (Sidney's daughter, by his first wife Jorja). In return, from Sidney's management company, we received a beautiful memory card.

A scan of the card is located on our website in the photo album called "Fan Collections 2". Get to the photo index directly with this URL:
http://www.geocities.com/cathyvernham/Photos.html

Ohio8 · 03-25-2007, 05:59 PM

From the second season's opening credits........

TV Knowledge Fan · 04-10-2007, 04:06 PM

...and this is why Sidney decided, towards the end of the second season, to write future scripts under different aliases, because he felt his name appeared too much during the show. So he became "Mark Rowane", "Allan Devon", and "Christopher Golato" as well (and he used those names again when he wrote all 17 episodes of "NANCY" in 1970).

01-31-2007, 12:01 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,391	Series Creator Sidney Sheldon Dies At 89 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sidney Sheldon, who won awards in three careers - Broadway theater, movies and television - then at age 50 turned to writing best-selling novels about stalwart women who triumph in a hostile world of ruthless men, died Tuesday. He was 89. Sheldon died of complications from pneumonia at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, said Warren Cowan, his publicist. Several of his novels became television miniseries, often with the author as producer. At 17, Sheldon decided to try his luck in Hollywood. The only job he could find was as a reader of prospective film material at Universal Studio for $22 a week. At night he wrote his own screenplays and sold one, "South of Panama," to the studio for $250. During World War II, he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps. In the New York theater after the war he established his reputation as a prolific writer. Broadway success brought about his return to Hollywood. His first assignment, "The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer," starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple, brought him the Academy Award for best original screenplay of 1947. He produced the popular "The Patty Duke Show" and said he wrote nearly every episode for seven years. He also created and produced "I Dream of Jeannie." "During the last year of 'I Dream of Jeannie,' I decided to try a novel," he said in 1982. The result was "The Naked Face," which was scorned by book reviewers and sold 21,000 copies in hardcover. The novel found a mass market in paperback, reportedly selling 3.1 million. Thereafter Sheldon became a habitue of best-seller lists, often reigning on top.
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

01-31-2007, 06:40 PM	#3
clj2 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2005 Location: SC Posts: 3,501	That's so sad....RIP Mr. Sheldon.
	__________________ -Chris

02-14-2007, 10:04 AM	#8
CAJeannieFan57 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 871	If anyone is interested - The Jeannie Sisters sent a sympathy card to Mrs. Alexandra Sheldon (Sidney's wife) and Mary Sheldon (Sidney's daughter, by his first wife Jorja). In return, from Sidney's management company, we received a beautiful memory card. A scan of the card is located on our website in the photo album called "Fan Collections 2". Get to the photo index directly with this URL: http://www.geocities.com/cathyvernham/Photos.html
	__________________ Donna

03-25-2007, 05:59 PM	#9
Ohio8 Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 29, 2003 Location: Wherever you aren't. Posts: 18,953	From the second season's opening credits........ Attached Images

01-31-2007, 03:12 PM	#2
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,899	I read all of his books and liked them enough to buy most of them!

02-01-2007, 05:49 PM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Sidney wrote more than 50 episodes for the series (including those under his three pseudonyms)...and he was THE best writer- he earned an Emmy nomination for his 1966-'67 scripts, but didn't win. Very few of his writing staff could match him for mixing romantic and exaggerated siutations in each script. He saw Jeannie and Tony's situation, as I see it, as "boy meets girl, girl pursues boy, boy is thoroughly embarrassed, but loves girl, anyway". And who writes like that for TV today??

02-05-2007, 10:31 PM	#6
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	I read about his death and wondered if this was the same Sidney Sheldon. I know weird, but oh well... I am too saddened by this news. God Bless his family in this time and always.

02-07-2007, 01:09 AM	#7
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,962	Who would have thought that Sidney Sheldon, who created two of the most beloved gimmck shows of all-time The Patty Duke Show and I Dream of Jeannie would go on to become one of the world's best known novelists?

04-10-2007, 04:06 PM	#10
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	...and this is why Sidney decided, towards the end of the second season, to write future scripts under different aliases, because he felt his name appeared too much during the show. So he became "Mark Rowane", "Allan Devon", and "Christopher Golato" as well (and he used those names again when he wrote all 17 episodes of "NANCY" in 1970).