William Link facts for kids

William Theodore Link (born December 15, 1933 – died December 27, 2020) was an American screenwriter and producer. He wrote stories and scripts for movies and TV shows. William Link often worked with his friend and partner, Richard Levinson. Together, they created some very famous TV series.

About William Link

William Link's Early Life

William Link was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father, William Theodore Link, was a textile broker. His mother, Elsie, had German heritage. William Link later found out that his father's parents were Jewish. This was discovered in 2011 by his niece, Amy. She found old family research in a suitcase.

William Link studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He went to the Wharton School of Business. After college, he served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1958.

How Link and Levinson Met

William Link and Richard Levinson met when they were in junior high school. They both loved doing magic tricks. Other students kept telling them they should meet. Soon after, they started writing together. In high school, they wrote scripts for radio shows. When they were in college, they wrote about movies for their school newspapers.

Their First Big Works

Link and Levinson sold their first short story in 1954. It was called "Whistle While You Work". It was published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. In 1959, their play Chain of Command was shown on TV. It was part of the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse show.

They then wrote scripts for popular TV shows. These included Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dr. Kildare, and The Fugitive. In 1965, they wrote three episodes for Honey West (TV series).

Creating Famous TV Shows

William Link and Richard Levinson created many well-known TV series. They sometimes produced these shows too. Some of their famous creations include:

• Mannix (started in 1968)
• Columbo (started in 1969)
• Ellery Queen
• Murder, She Wrote (co-created with Peter S. Fischer)

The famous detective character, Lieutenant Columbo, first appeared in 1960. Link and Levinson introduced him in an episode of The Chevy Mystery Show. For the character Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, they were inspired by Agatha Christie and her character Miss Marple.

Movies and Other Projects

Link and Levinson also worked on several movies made for TV. These included The Gun, My Sweet Charlie, and That Certain Summer. They also wrote two feature films for cinemas: The Hindenburg (1975) and Rollercoaster (1977).

Sometimes, they used the pen name "Ted Leighton". They used it when their work was changed a lot by others. This happened for the TV movie Ellery Queen: Don't Look Behind You. They also used it for some Columbo stories. They also wrote the Broadway musical Merlin.

After Richard Levinson

Richard Levinson passed away suddenly in 1987. William Link continued his writing and producing career. In 1991, he wrote the script for the TV film The Boys. This was a tribute to his friend.

Link also wrote for mystery magazines. These included Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. His later TV work included The Cosby Mysteries (1994–95).

In 2010, William Link wrote a book called The Columbo Collection. It had twelve new short stories about Lieutenant Columbo. He wrote another collection of stories in 2021 called Shooting Script.

William Link died in Los Angeles on December 27, 2020. He was 87 years old.

Awards and Honors

William Link and Richard Levinson won many awards together:

• 1970: Emmy Award for My Sweet Charlie.
• 1979: Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Ellery Queen and Columbo.
• 1980s: They won the Edgar Award three times for Best TV Feature or MiniSeries Teleplay.
• 1989: They received the WA's Ellery Queen Award for great mystery writing.
• 1995: They were chosen for the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

In 2002, William Link was named president of the Mystery Writers of America. This is a special honor for a TV writer.

Places Named After William Link

The William Link Theatre is located at California State University, Long Beach. It is named after him. This honors his work and the plays he donated to the university.

See also

In Spanish: William Link para niños