Born in Manhattan; attended New York City College from 1937 to 1938. Served in the Army, 1942-46, attaining rank of first lieutenant. Started writing for television in 1951 for CBS, and eventually worked for all three major networks. His screen writing credits include CRIME IN THE STREETS (1956), 12 ANGRY MEN and DINO (both 1957), MAN OF THE WEST (1958), THE MAN IN THE NET (1959), SOMEBODY KILLED HER HUSBAND (1978), THE SEA WOLVES (1980), WHOSE LIFE IT IS ANYWAY? (1981), WHO DARES WINS (1982) and WILD GEESE II (1985). His second wife (1963 until his death in 2002) was actress Ellen McLaughlin. "It was such an impressive, solemn setting in a great big wood-paneled courtroom, with a silver-haired judge It knocked me out. I was overwhelmed. I was on a jury for a manslaughter case, and we got into this terrific, furious, eight-hour argument in the jury room. I was writing one-hour dramas for 'Studio One' then and I thought, wow, what a setting for a drama." -- (about his inspiration for 12 Angry Men)  Nominated for Best Picture 1957: 12 ANGRY MEN - Producer at Orion-Nova (w. Henry Fonda)  Nominated for Writing (Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) 1957: 12 ANGRY MEN 2 nominations