Ernest Lehman

Ernest Lehman
Name	Ernest Lehman
Birth date	8 December 1915
Birth place	New York City, U.S.
Death date	2 July 2005
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Screenwriter, Film producer, Novelist
Spouse	Jacqueline (divorced), Laurie Sherman (m. 1993)
Awards	Academy Honorary Award (2001)

Ernest Lehman was a towering figure in 20th-century American cinema, renowned for his masterful screenplays that defined the art of sophisticated storytelling. His career spanned over four decades, during which he collaborated with legendary directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Wise, and Mike Nichols on some of Hollywood's most enduring classics. Lehman's work, characterized by sharp dialogue, intricate plotting, and psychological depth, earned him a record six Academy Award nominations for writing and the rare distinction of receiving an Academy Honorary Award for his lifetime contribution. He remains one of the few individuals nominated for an Academy Award in writing for producing Best Picture winners.

Early life and education

He was born in New York City to a middle-class family and spent his formative years in Woodmere on Long Island. His father, who worked in the hat manufacturing business, encouraged his early interest in writing and theater. Lehman attended The City College of New York, where he studied literature and began writing short stories for various publications. After graduating, he initially pursued a career in publicity and journalism in Manhattan, writing for trade magazines like *Broadcasting*, an experience that honed his narrative skills and understanding of character.

Career

Lehman's career breakthrough came when his short story "The Sweet Smell of Success," based on his observations of the New York City media world, was published in *Cosmopolitan* in 1950. This led to his first major screenwriting assignment, adapting the story into the gritty 1957 film *Sweet Smell of Success*, directed by Alexander Mackendrick and starring Burt Lancaster. He quickly established himself as a premier adapter of complex material, earning his first Academy Award nomination for Billy Wilder's romantic comedy *Sabrina* starring Audrey Hepburn. His reputation for tackling challenging projects was cemented with his sole original screenplay, the epic CinemaScope drama *The King and I*, which won multiple Academy Awards.

Notable works

Lehman's filmography is a catalog of cinematic landmarks, beginning with his tense collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock on *North by Northwest*, a defining work of the spy film genre starring Cary Grant. He achieved a monumental feat by writing the screenplay for *West Side Story*, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned him a nomination for his adapted libretto. His acclaimed adaptation of the psychological drama *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?* for director Mike Nichols garnered further critical praise. Other significant works include the musical *The Sound of Music*, the thriller *Family Plot*, and his final produced screenplay for the portmanteau movie *The Black Bird*.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Lehman received widespread recognition from his peers in the film industry. He was nominated for six Academy Awards, all for Best Adapted Screenplay, for *Sabrina*, *The King and I*, *West Side Story*, *The Sound of Music*, *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?*, and *Hello, Dolly!*. In 2001, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him an Academy Honorary Award for his "rich and varied body of work." He also received the Writers Guild of America's Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement and was honored by the American Film Institute.

Personal life

He was married twice, first to Jacqueline, with whom he had three sons, and later to Laurie Sherman in 1993. Lehman was known to be a private and intensely dedicated professional, often described as perfectionistic in his writing process. He maintained a residence in Los Angeles for much of his career but retained a deep connection to his New York City roots, which frequently informed his work. In his later years, he was active in writers' rights advocacy within the Writers Guild of America, West.

Legacy

Ernest Lehman's legacy is that of a consummate screenwriter who elevated adaptation into a high art form, bringing literary sophistication and psychological complexity to mainstream Hollywood cinema. His scripts for *North by Northwest* and *Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?* are frequently studied in film school curricula for their structural brilliance and dialogue. The Ernest Lehman Collection at the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library preserves his papers, offering insight into the craft of one of the industry's most respected writers. He is remembered as a pivotal figure in the era of Classical Hollywood cinema, whose work continues to influence screenwriters and filmmakers.

Category:American screenwriters Category:American film producers Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients