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Philadelphia Daily News (16/Mar/1987) - Richard Levinson, TV writer

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Richard Levinson, TV writer

OBITUARY

"He was one of the wittiest guys I ever knew," recalled Bobbie Shaffner, a childhood friend of Levinson. "He first submitted a script to Alfred Hitchcock at the age of 14 and was published by 15. He was a natural talent. He had a wild imagination and was writing mystery stories at an early age."

The Levinson-Link team currently is represented on television by Murder, She Wrote and Hard Copy.

"He always seemed to be trying to give a plug to the city (Philadelphia) when he could," said Shaffner. "In one of his TV movies last year, one of the characters, Elliott Gould, was talking about one of the suspects from Philadelphia and he brought in cheesesteaks and other Philadelphia plugs. He did that customarily in the Columbo series."

She said he and Link often would create a show and then move out and let another writer take over while they went on to other projects.

Levinson was working at WCAU-TV when he and Link sold a script to the Desilu studio and moved to Los Angeles. At the time of his death, Levinson's home was in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles.

The Levinson-Link credits are familiar titles to the viewing public. They include Alfred Hitchcock Presents..., The Fugitive, The Rogues, The Adventures of Ellery Queen and The Execution of Private Slovik.

The team received a Peabody Award for Slovik, a lifetime achievement award from the Writers Guild of America and the NAACP's Image Award.

In a 1970 interview with Inquirer reporter Harry Harris, Levinson commented on the successful chemistry between himself and Link.

"We're in general agreement as both producers and writers," Levinson said. "A collaboration is like a marriage. Sometimes one capitulates, sometimes the other. If you can resolve differences painlessly, you have a viable partnership...

"Sometimes we flip a coin. It's usually something minor, like a line of dialogue. We don't write anything unless we both dig it."

Levinson is survived by his wife, the former Rosanna Huffman; a daughter, Christine; and his father, William Levinson.

A memorial service is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Beverly Theater, Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Contributions may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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