Max Ehrlich (writer)

American dramatist (1909–1983)

Max Ehrlich

Born| Max Simon Ehrlich
(1909-10-10)October 10, 1909
Springfield, Massachusetts, US
Died| February 11, 1983(1983-02-11) (aged 73)
Occupation| Writer
Nationality| American
Education| University of Michigan
Period| 1940–1981
Genre| Mystery, science fiction
Children| 2

Max Simon Ehrlich (October 10, 1909 – February 11, 1983[1]) was an American writer. He is best known for the novel The Reincarnation of Peter Proud and the movie of the same name.[2]

## Biography[edit]

### Early life and education[edit]

Max Simon Ehrlich was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on October 10, 1909 to Simon and Sarah Ehrlich. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in 1933.[2][3]

### Career[edit]

Ehrlich began his career in newspapers, working as a correspondent for the Albany, New York Knickerbocker Press and Evening News during his college years, then after graduating as a feature writer for the Springfield, Massachusetts Republican. From there he turned to radio, working as the chief writer of the script division of WSPR in 1938 and 1939, in the script division of the American Jewish Committee from 1939 to 1941, and from 1941 to 1945 he was the assistant script director of the radio division of the American Red Cross.[2][3]

After 1945, Ehrlich was a novelist, playwright, radio and TV dramatist, and author of adaptations for radio, television, and feature films. He wrote radio scripts for series including The Big Story, The Shadow, Big Town, Mr. and Mrs. North, and Murder at Midnight. His television work included scripts for the series Barney Blake, The Big Story, The Defenders, The Nurses, The United States Steel Hour, and Star Trek (episode "The Apple").[2][3] Three of his feature film scripts (listed below) were adaptations of his own novels.[citation needed]

### Marriage and children[edit]

Ehrlich married and had two daughters. One daughter, Amy Ehrlich, is a writer of books for children.[citation needed]

### Death[edit]

Ehrlich died on February 11, 1983.

## Published books[edit]

* The Big Eye (Doubleday, 1949)
* Spin the Glass Web (Harper & Brothers, 1952)
* First Train to Babylon (Harper, 1955)
* The Takers (Harper, 1961)
* Deep is the Blue (Doubleday, 1964)[4]
* The High Side (Fawcett Publications, 1970)
* The Edict (Doubleday, 1971)
* The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (Bobbs-Merrill, 1974)
* The Savage is Loose (Bantam Books, 1974)
* The Cult (Simon & Schuster, 1978)
* Reincarnation in Venice (Simon & Schuster, 1979)[5]
* Naked Beach (Granada, 1979)
* The Big Boys (Houghton Mifflin, 1981)
* Shaitan (Arbor House, 1981)

## Filmography[edit]

### Films[edit]

Year | Film | Credit | Notes

|
|
|

1953  | The Glass Web | Story by  | Based on his novel Spin the Glass Web
1954  | The Lie | Written By  |
1961  | The Naked Edge | Story by  | Based on his novel First Train to Babylon
I Will Not Confess | Story by  |
1967  | Sail To Glory | Written By  | Co-wrote screenplay with Gerald Schnitzer
1972  | Z.P.G. | Written By, Associate Producer  | Co-wrote screenplay with Frank De Felitta
1974  | The Savage Is Loose | Written By  | Co-wrote screenplay with Frank De Felitta
1975  | The Reincarnation of Peter Proud | Written By  | Based on the novel of the same name

### Television[edit]

Year | TV Series | Credit | Notes

|
|
|

1950  | Sure as Fate | Writer  | 2 Episodes
1950–52  | Suspense | Writer  | 5 Episodes
1951–58  | Studio One In Hollywood | Writer  | 4 Episodes
1952  | Tales of Tomorrow | Writer  | 4 Episodes
Man Against Crime | Writer  | 1 Episode
1954  | The Big Story | Writer  | 2 Episodes
The Mail Story | Writer  | 1 Episode
1956  | Lux Video Theatre | Writer  | 1 Episode
Navy Log | Writer  | 4 Episodes
1956–57  | Assignment Foreign Legion | Writer  | 7 Episodes
1958  | The Court of Last Resort | Writer  | 1 Episode
1959  | Deadline | Writer  | 3 Episodes
1959–60  | No Hiding Place | Writer, Script Editor  |
1960  | Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years | Writer  | 1 Episode
1961  | The Witness | Writer  | 1 Episode
Armstrong Circle Theatre | Writer  | 1 Episode
The United States Steel Hour | Writer  | 1 Episode
Tallahassee 7000 | Writer  | 4 Episodes
1961–62  | The Defenders | Writer  | 4 Episodes
1962  | General Electric Theater | Writer  | 1 Episode
Checkmate | Writer  | 1 Episode
Target: The Corruptors! | Writer  | 1 Episode
The Dick Powell Show | Writer  | 1 Episode
1963  | The Untouchables | Writer  | 1 Episode
Arrest and Trial | Writer  | 1 Episode
1965  | For The People | Writer  | 1 Episode
Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea | Writer  | 1 Episode
1966  | Jericho | Writer  | 1 Episode
Run For Your Life | Writer  | 1 Episode
1967  | Star Trek | Writer  | 1 Episode
The Wild Wild West | Writer  | 1 Episode

## Awards[edit]

* 1944: Writers' War Board Award
* 1963: Huntington Hartford Foundation Fellowship

## References[edit]

1. ^ Ellett, Ryan (November 2, 2017). Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962. McFarland. p. 67\. ISBN 978-1-4766-2980-3. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
2. ^ a b c d "Cinema: Small Moments". Time. 1975-05-26. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007.
3. ^ a b c "Max Simon Ehrlich Papers, 1939-1964". University of Wisconsin Digital Collections. Finding aid for papers in Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, with linked "Biography/History".
4. ^ "Books – Authors". The New York Times. June 26, 1964. p. 26\. "A novel about the crew of a nuclear submarine, Deep Is the Blue by Max Ehrlich, will be issued by Doubleday next Friday."
5. ^ Cromie, Alice (March 18, 1979). "Mystery & Suspense". Chicago Tribune. p. E7.

## External links[edit]

* Max Ehrlich at IMDb
* Max Ehrlich at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
* Max Ehrlich at Memory Alpha
* Max Ehrlich at Library of Congress, with 18 library catalog records

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Norway
* Spain
* France
* BnF data
* Germany
* Israel
* Belgium
* United States
* Sweden
* Japan
* Czech Republic
* Australia
* Greece
* Korea
* Netherlands

Academics|

* CiNii

Other|

* RISM
* SNAC