orig. Sidney Chayefsky
born Jan. 29, 1923, New York, N.Y., U.S.
died Aug. 1, 1981, New York City
U.S. playwright.
He wrote his first full-length television play in 1952, and his work became prominent in the early flowering of television drama. Known for chronicling the lives of ordinary people, he had his greatest television and film success with Marty (1955, Academy Award). The Catered Affair (1956) and The Bachelor Party (1957) were also well received. His stage plays include The Tenth Man (1959), Gideon (1961), and The Latent Heterosexual (1968). He returned to screenwriting with The Hospital (1971, Academy Award) and Network (1976, Academy Award).