Gene Levitt
Born
Eugene Levitt

(1920-05-28)May 28, 1920
Brooklyn, New York, United States[1]
DiedNovember 15, 1999(1999-11-15) (aged 79)
Los Angeles, California, United States[2]
Occupation(s)Writer, producer, director

Eugene Levitt (May 28, 1920 – November 15, 1999) was an American television writer, producer and director.[3]

Life and career

Levitt was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Charles and Teresa Levitt. He had an older sister, Betty Ruth. His mother died when Gene was about 12 years old. Levitt attended the University of Wyoming. Following graduation he moved to Chicago where he worked as a newspaper reporter until enlisting in the United States Marine Corps.

In the 1940s, Levitt wrote for radio programs, including The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.[4]

Levitt was a writer for many television series in the 1950s and 1960s, including Highway Patrol, Maverick ("Trail West to Fury"), Adventures in Paradise and Combat!. He moved to directing in the 1970s, working on series such as Alias Smith and Jones and McCloud. His most significant achievement was the creation of the television series Fantasy Island, starring Ricardo Montalbán and Herve Villechaize. The show ran for over six years.[5]

In addition to Fantasy Island, Levitt assisted in the writing, production, and directing of Hawaii-Five-O, and Alias Smith and Jones.[5]

He died of prostate cancer in Los Angeles, California.[6]

Filmography

Films

YearFilmCreditNotes
1956 Foreign Intrigue Story By
Beyond Mombasa Written By Co-Wrote screenplay with "Richard English"
1957 The Night Runner Screenplay By
1958 Underwater Warrior Screenplay By
1964 The Yellowbird Screenplay By, Produced By
1968 Daring Game Produced By
1969 Any Second Now Directed By, Produced By, Written By
Run a Crooked Mile Director
Anatomy of a Crime Produced By
1970 The Forty-Eight Hour Mile Directed By
1974 The Phantom of Hollywood Directed By, Produced By
1978 Magee and The Lady Directed By
Barnaby and Me Produced By

Television

YearTV SeriesCreditNotes
1951-52 Front Page Detective Writer 6 Episodes
1953-54 I Led 3 Lives Writer 7 Episodes
Your Favorite Story Writer 6 Episodes
1953-56 The Loretta Young Show Writer 13 Episodes
1954 Mr. District Attorney Writer 1 Episode
1954-55 Foreign Intrigue Writer 9 Episodes
1955 Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion Writer 5 Episodes
Highway Patrol Writer 2 Episodes
Science Fiction Theatre Writer 1 Episode
1955-56 The Ford Television Theater Writer 2 Episodes
1956 Celebrity Playhouse Writer 1 Episode
Climax! Writer 1 Episode
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Writer 2 Episodes
The Man Called X Writer 1 Episode
TV Reader's Digest Writer 1 Episode
1957 The Californians Writer 3 Episodes
1957-58 Men of Annapolis Writer 5 Episodes
Tombstone Territory Writer 3 Episodes
1957-59 Maverick Writer 5 Episodes
Richard Diamond, Private Detective Writer 3 Episodes
1958 Colt .45 Writer 1 Episode
Sea Hunt Writer 2 Episodes
1958-60 Bat Masterson Writer 8 Episodes
77 Sunset Strip Writer 2 Episodes
1959 The Man and The Challenge Writer 3 Episodes
The David Niven Show Writer 1 Episode
This Man Dawson Writer
1959-62 Adventures In Paradise Writer, Producer Multiple Episodes
1960 The Four Just Men Writer 1 Episode
1961 The Aquanauts Writer 1 Episode
1962-66 Combat! Writer, Producer 88 Episodes
1968-69 The Outsider Writer, Director Multiple Episodes
1970 The Name Of The Game Director 2 Episodes
The Bold Ones: The Lawyers Director 1 Episode
1971 Alias Smith and Jones Director 2 Episodes
Night Gallery Director 1 Episode
1972 Cool Million Writer, Director, Producer 2 Episodes
1973 Barnaby Jones Producer 12 Episodes
1974 McCloud Director 1 Episode
1975 Get Christie Love! Writer 1 Episode
Kolchak: The Night Stalker Director 1 Episode
S.W.A.T. Director, Producer Multiple Episodes
1977-84 Fantasy Island Writer, Creator Multiple Episodes
1978-79 Project U.F.O. Supervising Producer 8 Episodes
1979-80 Hawaii Five-O Producer, Supervising Producer 16 Episodes
1981 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Director 1 Episode
1983 Trauma Center Director 1 Episode

See also

References

  1. ↑ Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. 2008-10-24. ISBN 9780786452040.
  2. ↑ "Gene Levitt". December 1999.
  3. ↑ "Gene Levitt". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08.
  4. ↑ Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. p. 13.
  5. 1 2 "Obituary: Gene Levitt". The Independent. 1999-11-26. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  6. ↑ Ravo, Nick (24 November 1999). "Gene Levitt, 79, a TV Writer; Created 70's Hit 'Fantasy Island'". The New York Times. Section B, p. 9.


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