Oliver Crawford facts for kids

Oliver Crawford (born August 12, 1917 – died September 24, 2008) was an American writer. He wrote for movies and TV shows. He also wrote books. He became very successful. This was even after facing a difficult time called the Hollywood blacklist in the 1950s. He wrote for famous shows like Star Trek, Bonanza, and Perry Mason.

Early Life

Oliver Crawford was born in Chicago, Illinois. He went to art school there. He also studied at the Goodman Theatre school. His friends from school included Sam Wanamaker and Karl Malden. Both of them became famous actors.

Career as a Writer

Crawford started writing for television in the early 1950s. By 1953, he had contracts with important people in Hollywood. But then, something difficult happened.

The Hollywood Blacklist

In 1953, Crawford was called to appear before a group. This group was called the House Un-American Activities Committee. They were looking for people they thought were Communist sympathizers in Hollywood.

Crawford refused to name anyone. He would not tell the committee who he thought were Communists. Because of this, he was put on the Hollywood blacklist. This meant he was not allowed to work in the entertainment industry. He also lost his job.

He moved to New York City with his family. He had to take many different jobs to earn money. One job was designing window displays.

Returning to Television

Oliver Crawford was finally able to work in television again in 1957. A friend, actor Sam Levene, helped him get a job. He started writing for a show called Playhouse 90.

His career really took off in the 1960s. He wrote for many popular shows. These included Gilligan's Island, The Fugitive, and The Outer Limits. In the 1970s, he wrote for shows like The Bionic Woman and Kojak.

Author and Advocate

In 1978, Crawford wrote a novel called The Execution. This book was about people who survived a Nazi concentration camp. They recognized a former Nazi doctor. This doctor had done experiments on them. They then tried to get revenge. The book was later made into a TV movie in 1985.

Crawford also worked to help other writers. He was on the board of directors for the Writers Guild of America for 26 years. He fought for writers who had been blacklisted. He wanted them to get back the money they lost. He also helped remove an old rule from the Writers Guild. This rule was an anti-Communist loyalty oath.

Awards and Teaching

Oliver Crawford was nominated for a Writers Guild award. This was for his work on The Outer Limits. He was also nominated for multiple Emmy Awards. These nominations were for shows like Lineup and Climax!. He also taught filmmaking. He was an associate professor at Loyola Marymount University.

Death

Oliver Crawford died on September 24, 2008. He was 91 years old. He passed away in Los Angeles from problems related to pneumonia. He was survived by his two daughters, Jo and Vicki. His wife, Bert, had passed away in 1986.

Filmography

Awards