A Six-time Oscar Nominee Has Died...

Father Geek here with some sad news... Ernest Lehman screenwriter of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, WESTSIDE STORY, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC among other great films has died at the age of 89.

Lehman established his astounding archives at the University of Texas here in Austin where I attended film school. I have spent hours pouring over those files in the Ransom Center and as a result had met and spoke with Ernest a couple of times to boot. I've seen his original manuscripts to THE KING AND I and the three films mentioned above as well as photo exhibits that relate to his personal and professional life... the life of one of the absolutely best screenwriters in the history of film... a career that gave us a host of astonishing screenplays... motion pictures like FROM THE TERRACE, FAMILY PLOT, SABRINA, THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINA WOOLF, THE PRIZE, SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, and others. He was a producer of note also, fulfilling those duties on "Virginia Woolf" and HELLO DOLLY. In 1972 he served as Writer-Director-Producer on PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT.

Ernest Lehman led a long creative, productive, inspiring life, and thanks to his foresight in establishing the Lehman Collection at the University of Texas he will continue to guide and inspire future filmmakers for generations to come. Thank You Ernset Lehman... thanks for the gift of words and films, for a life well spent writing important, meaningful cinema... we'll miss you, buuuut never your work.