On this day, December 8, 1915, Ernest Lehman, who wrote the screenplay for "North by Northwest," was born.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Ernest Lehman

Born: Ernest Paul Lehman; December 8, 1915; New York City, U.S.
Died: July 2, 2005 (aged 89); Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ernest Paul Lehman (December 8, 1915 – July 2, 2005) was an American screenwriter. He was nominated six times for Academy Awards for his screenplays during his career, but did not win. At the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001, he received an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of his achievements and his influential works for the screen. He was the first screenwriter to receive that honor. The award was presented to him by Julie Andrews, a friend and star of The Sound of Music.

He received two Edgar Awards of the Mystery Writers of America for screenplays for suspense films he wrote for director Alfred Hitchcock: North by Northwest (1959), his only original screenplay, and Family Plot (1976), one of numerous adaptations.

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Lehman was asked to collaborate on the romantic comedy Sabrina (1954), which was released the same year and also became a hit. Some of his most notable works are the screenplay adaptations of the musical West Side Story (1961) and the mega-hit film version of The Sound of Music (1965), another musical.

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Here's a clip from North by Northwest. "Page Mr. Lester Townsend, please."

North by Northwest (1959) - Framed for Murder Scene (1/10) | Movieclips

Movieclips
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North by Northwest - Framed for Murder: Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is accused of Lester Townsend’s (Philip Ober) murder while visiting the UN.

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Thu Dec 8, 2022: On this day, December 8, 1915, Ernest Lehman was born. He wrote a few screenplays.

Tue Dec 8, 2020: On this day, December 8, 1915, Ernest Lehman was born. He wrote a few screenplays.

[PSPS]

1. He wrote a lot of stories and screenplays

Many of them are classics. Here are a few that come to mind:

Family Plot (Hitchcock's final film)
The Sound of Music
Sabrina
West Side Story
Sweet Smell of Success
The King and I
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Executive Suite

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. "He was nominated six times for Academy Awards for his screenplays during his career, but did not win."

At the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001, he received an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of his achievements and his influential works for the screen. He was the first screenwriter to receive that honor.

Amazing, huh?

[PSPS]

3. Even more than Hitchcock himself, who had five Oscar nominations and no wins