Ira Levin (1929 – 2007) was an American author, dramatist and songwriter. After college, he wrote training films and scripts for television. The first of these was ”Leda’s Portrait” for “Lights Out” in 1951. Levin's first produced play was “No Time for Sergeants” (adapted from Mac Hyman's novel), a comedy about a hillbilly drafted into the United States Air Force that launched the career of Andy Griffith. The play was turned into a movie in 1958, and co-starred Nick Adams. “No Time for Sergeants” is generally considered the precursor to Gomer Pyle, USMC. Levin's first novel, “A Kiss Before Dying”, was well received, earning him the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. “A Kiss Before Dying” was turned into a movie twice, first in 1956, and again in 1991. Levin's best-known play is “Deathtrap”, which holds the record as the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway and brought Levin his second Edgar Award. In 1982, it was made into a film starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine. Levin's best-known novel is “Rosemary's Baby”, a horror story of modern day Satanism and other occultisms, set in Manhattan's Upper West Side. In 1968, it was made into a film starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance. Roman Polanski, who wrote and directed the film, was nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Other Levin novels that were made into films included “The Boys from Brazil” in 1978; “The Stepford Wives” in 1975 and again in 2004; and “Sliver” in 1993. Currently a new version of “The Boys from Brazil” is in development for 2009.
