Henry Slesar
Encyclopedia
Henry Slesar was an American
author
, playwright
, and copywriter. He was also known as O.H. Leslie and Jay Street.
, New York City
. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine
, and he had two sisters named Doris and Lillian. After graduating from high school
, he started his career as a copywriter
.
. While working as a copywriter, he published hundreds of short stories, including detective fiction
, science fiction
, criminal stories, mysteries, and thrillers in such publications as Playboy
, Imaginative Tales
, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
. Alfred Hitchcock
hired him to write a number of the scenarios for Alfred Hitchcock Presents
.
The term "coffee break" was coined by Slesar. He was also the person behind McGraw-Hill
's massively popular "The Man in the Chair" advertising campaign.
From 1957 to 1962, he wrote the Ruby Martinson series and later worked on Rod Serling
's Twilight Zone
series. In 1960 for his first novel, The Gray Flannel Shroud (1958), he was given the Edgar Allan Poe Award. He also penned the screenplay for the 1965 film Two on a Guillotine
, which was based on one of his stories. His short story "Examination Day
" was used in the 1980s Twilight Zone revival
.
In 1974, he won an Emmy Award
as the head writer
for CBS Daytime
's The Edge of Night
. His term as head writer (1956-84) was considered lengthy. During that time, he was also head writer for the Procter and Gamble soap operas Somerset
(on NBC Daytime
) and Search for Tomorrow
until John William Corrington
replaced him on the latter. During the 1974-75 television season, he was the creator and head writer for Executive Suite
, a CBS
primetime series. He wrote mainly science-fiction scripts for the CBS Radio Mystery Theater
during the 1970s.
In 1983, Procter and Gamble wanted to replace him as the head writer for The Edge of Night, but the ABC
/ABC Daytime
kept him. After his eventual replacement as head writer by Lee Sheldon
, the network named him and Sam Hall
the new head writers of its soap opera One Life to Live
, but he left that show after only one year. He was later the head writer of the CBS Daytime
series Capitol
.
from an operation
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, and copywriter. He was also known as O.H. Leslie and Jay Street.
Early life
He was born Henry Schlosser in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and he had two sisters named Doris and Lillian. After graduating from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, he started his career as a copywriter
Copywriting
Copywriting is the use of words and ideas to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing , the term copywriter is generally limited to promotional situations, regardless of the medium...
.
Career
Around 1955, he started to write short storiesShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
. While working as a copywriter, he published hundreds of short stories, including detective fiction
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, criminal stories, mysteries, and thrillers in such publications as Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, Imaginative Tales
Imaginative Tales
Imaginative Tales was an American fantasy and science fiction magazine launched in September 1954 by William Hamling's Greenleaf Publishing Company. It was created as a sister magazine to Imagination, which Hamling had acquired from Raymond A. Palmer's Clark Publishing in 1951...
, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine is a monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction. AHMM is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television.-History:...
. Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
hired him to write a number of the scenarios for Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
.
The term "coffee break" was coined by Slesar. He was also the person behind McGraw-Hill
McGraw-Hill
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...
's massively popular "The Man in the Chair" advertising campaign.
From 1957 to 1962, he wrote the Ruby Martinson series and later worked on Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
's Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
series. In 1960 for his first novel, The Gray Flannel Shroud (1958), he was given the Edgar Allan Poe Award. He also penned the screenplay for the 1965 film Two on a Guillotine
Two on a Guillotine
Two on a Guillotine is a 1965 American horror/thriller film produced and directed by William Conrad. The screenplay by John Kneubuhl and Henry Slesar is based on a story by Slesar.-Plot synopsis:...
, which was based on one of his stories. His short story "Examination Day
Examination Day
Examination Day is the first segment of the sixth episode from the first season of the television series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:...
" was used in the 1980s Twilight Zone revival
The New Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950/60s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.-Series history:...
.
In 1974, he won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
as the head writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...
for CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a television programming block on CBS. It's the branding for the CBS Television Network's late morning and early afternoon programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows, and talk shows...
's The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night
The Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
. His term as head writer (1956-84) was considered lengthy. During that time, he was also head writer for the Procter and Gamble soap operas Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
(on NBC Daytime
NBC Daytime
NBC Daytime is the schedule for the NBC television network's daytime television programming which consists of morning news program Today and soap opera Days of our Lives...
) and Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
until John William Corrington
John William Corrington
John William Corrington was an American movie and television writer, novelist, poet and lawyer. He received a B.A. degree from Centenary College, in 1956 and his M.A. from Rice University in 1960, the year he took on his first teaching position in the English Department at Louisiana State University...
replaced him on the latter. During the 1974-75 television season, he was the creator and head writer for Executive Suite
Executive Suite
Executive Suite is a 1954 MGM drama film depicting the transfer of power in a corporation in trouble. The film stars William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. It was directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the...
, a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
primetime series. He wrote mainly science-fiction scripts for the CBS Radio Mystery Theater
CBS Radio Mystery Theater
CBS Radio Mystery Theater was a radio drama series created by Himan Brown that was broadcast on CBS affiliates from 1974 to 1982....
during the 1970s.
In 1983, Procter and Gamble wanted to replace him as the head writer for The Edge of Night, but the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
/ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime
ABC Daytime is a programming block on the ABC Network which has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows.-Schedule:...
kept him. After his eventual replacement as head writer by Lee Sheldon
Lee Sheldon
Lee Sheldon may refer to:* Lee Sheldon , game developer and writer* Stagger Lee Sheldon, American murderer...
, the network named him and Sam Hall
Sam Hall (writer)
Gordon Russell and Sam Hall were a pair of writers known for their work in daytime soap operas.-Dark Shadows:They are best known for their works on Dark Shadows and One Life to Live...
the new head writers of its soap opera One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
, but he left that show after only one year. He was later the head writer of the CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime
CBS Daytime is a television programming block on CBS. It's the branding for the CBS Television Network's late morning and early afternoon programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows, and talk shows...
series Capitol
Capitol (TV series)
Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C....
.
Death
In 2002, he died of complicationsComplication (medicine)
Complication, in medicine, is an unfavorable evolution of a disease, a health condition or a medical treatment. The disease can become worse in its severity or show a higher number of signs, symptoms or new pathological changes, become widespread throughout the body or affect other organ systems. A...
from an operation
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
.