Rift Fournier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rift Fournier
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Rift Fournier, St. Louis 2013
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| Born | May 16, 1936 |
| Died | October 6, 2013 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, producer |
Rift Fournier (born May 16, 1936 – died October 6, 2013) was an American writer and television producer. He was also a screenwriter, which means he wrote scripts for movies and TV shows. Rift Fournier had a long and exciting career in television. He wrote episodes for many popular TV series.
Rift Fournier's Early Life
Rift Fournier was born in 1936 in Wichita, Kansas. He spent his childhood growing up in both Chicago and Omaha, Nebraska. His parents decided to name him "Rift" after they had a disagreement about what to call their new son.
By the time he was 13 years old, Rift was already acting and writing scripts at the Omaha Community Playhouse. He went to a Jesuit school, where he was a very good athlete.
Overcoming Polio
When Rift Fournier was in his junior year of high school, he became sick with polio. This was in 1953. One Sunday morning, he collapsed while trying to get out of bed to answer the phone. After that day, he could no longer walk and used a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Even though he faced this big challenge, Rift Fournier never let his disability stop him from following his dreams. In an interview in 1986, he said that he didn't think polio was supposed to stop him. He compared it to a joke where someone says, "I never knew I was poor." Rift said, "Well, I never knew I was handicapped." This shows how positive and determined he was.
His Television Career
Rift Fournier had a very busy career in television. He wrote for many well-known TV shows. Some of the shows he wrote for include Baretta, Charlie's Angels, Highway to Heaven, Hell Town, Kojak, Matlock, Charley Hannah, High Mountain Rangers, and NYPD Blue.
In 1963, Rift Fournier also started working as a co-producer for The Mike Douglas Show. This show was created in Cleveland, Ohio, and was shown across many different TV channels. As a producer, he helped manage how the show was made.
Later Life and Teaching
From 2004 until 2013, Rift Fournier was a professor at Lindenwood University. He taught students there, sharing his knowledge and experience from his long career in television.
Rift Fournier passed away in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 6, 2013. He was 77 years old. The cause of his death was cancer.
