RIP: “Stepford” novelist Ira Levin

By Dan Cziraky • November 14, 2007

Novelist and playwright Ira Levin, 78, passed away from a heart attack on Monday, November 12, in New York City. Levin’s books ROSEMARY’S BABY and THE STEPFORD WIVES were adapted into films noted for their subtle, creepy horror. (The 2004 remake of STEPFORD was an ill-conceived black comedy.) LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY’S BABY was a lackluster 1976 made-for-TV sequel that was followed by Levin’s own novel, SON OF ROSEMARY, in 1997. The Nazi thriller THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL, dealing with a cloned Adolph Hitler, was turned into a 1978 film starring Sir Lawrence Olivier and Gregory Peck; a remake is planned for a 2009 release. His 1991 thriller SLIVER was the basis for the 1993 film starring Sharon Stone. His first novel, 1953’s A KISS BEFORE DYING, was made into films in 1956 and 1991. Levin was also author of the play DEATHTRAP, Broadway’s longest-running thriller, filmed with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve in 1982. Levin wrote the play NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS, a comedy based on Mac Hyam’s novel, about a hillbilly drafted into the air force. Andy Griffith reprised the role for the 1958 film version, making him a star; the film is considered the inspiration for the hit TV series GOMER PYLE, USMC.

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About the Author

Dan Cziraky

DAN CZIRAKY’s interest in science-fiction and horror began at an early age. He remembers seeing 1931’s Dracula on TV when he was only three years old! He fondly remembers watching original, first-run episodes of STAR TREK, DARK SHADOWS, and KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER. Cziraky has amassed a vast collection of science-fiction, horror, fantasy, and mystery books and videos. He has turned this knowledge into a career as a horror/sci-fi movie expert, writing reviews and articles for Cinefantastique, Imagi-Movies, Toxic Horror, The Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope, HORROR: The Newsmagazine of the Horror & Dark Fantasy Fields, Anime-Fantastique, Castle Rock: The Official Stephen King Newsletter, Visions, Draculina, Dark Muse, SPFX, Horror Biz, and Scream Queens Illustrated. He was associate editor for the first four issues of Femme Fatales magazine, and a creative consultant on A.J. Ryan’s The Electric Witch: Thoughts & Prayers. He was a member of the Joe Bob Briggs Board of Drive-In Experts: Horror Committee, from 1995-97. He was a columnist and critic for both Fandom.com and Cinescape Online. Recently, his short stories “None of Your Business” and “Tim Burton’s Red Reign” were posted at Vampress.net. Today, Cziraky makes his home in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina, about fifteen miles from Charlotte. He is currently collaborating on a horror/parody novel, Of Skeletons in the Closet, with noted fantasy artist Jon Zuchowski. He also writes action figure reviews and the “Darth Zirock’s Interrogation Droid” column on collecting Star Wars memorabilia and toys for swCollector.com.

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