Don Brinkley obit

 Television writer Don Brinkley dies at 91 

He was not on the list.

Brinkley was a television writer, director and producer. He wrote for countless television shows in a career that spanned over 55 years, and wrote and produced the shows Medical Center and Trapper John M.D. He also wrote a play and a novel, "A Lively Form of Death". Brinkley was honored by the Museum of Broadcasting both in Los Angeles and New York City for his career.

After World War II Brinkley worked in Chicago as a staff writer at WGN Radio and as a Chief Writer at CBS Radio.

In 1950 he moved to Southern California where he began an illustrious career as a television scenarist, writing over 400 teleplays for such shows as The Untouchables, The Fugitive, Have Gun, Will Travel, Kraft Suspense Theatre, The F.B.I., The Virginian, Ben Casey, Bat Masterson, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Rawhide, Ironside, The Name of the Game and many others.

After serving as producer on the Executive Suite series, Brinkley wrote and produced a number of television pilots, one of which was Trapper John, M.D.. The series ran for seven years on CBS, accumulating high ratings and numerous awards for its unique explorations of such controversial issues as gay rights, women's rights, euthanasia, nuclear disarmament, the right to die, and animal research. As one of the first series on prime time to deal with the AIDS problem, Trapper John, M.D. was awarded a citation of excellence by the city of Los Angeles. With Brinkley as executive producer, the show was also lauded for employing female writers and directors and for hiring disabled actors.

Don and Frank Glicksman, his co-creator and partner on Trapper John, M.D. also teamed up for the highly successful series, Medical Center, which Brinkley produced. Over the series' seven-year span, he also wrote 45 original episodes. One of them was directly responsible for strengthening the California laws regarding discrimination against cancer patients. Because of its social and political impact, that particular episode was cited by the California Legislature and awarded a certificate of merit by the American Cancer Society. Another of Brinkley's Medical Center scripts was chosen "Best Dramatic Television Show" at the Monte Carlo Film Festival.

In 1996 he published a thriller novel called "A Lively Form of Death". In 1998 he wrote "Prisoner of Justice (The Trials of Doctor Mudd)", a drama in two acts.

In July 1988 the Museum of Broadcasting in New York set aside two nights to honor Don Brinkley with a retrospective of his career in television. In his speech to the museum's audience, Don stated that after almost fifty years as a writer/producer, "I've already become what I'm going to be".

Don Brinkley knew what he was going to be when he was in his teens, growing up in New York City. While still in High School and in his collegiate years at Hofstra University, he began writing and selling radio scripts to the major networks. During World War II he served as a medic in the US Army.

Filmography

 

Films

Year     Film            Credit            Notes

1959    Beach Patrol   Writer 

1982    Family In Blue Writer 

1988    Divided We Stand            Writer, Producer         

 

Television

Year     TV Series   Credit            Notes

1951    Dick Tracy   Writer            1 Episode

1952    The Cisco Kid            Writer            1 Episode

1953    The Web     Writer            1 Episode

I Led 3 Lives            Writer            1 Episode

1955-57            Highway Patrol            Writer, Director           

1956-57            West Point    Writer            11 Episodes

1957    Dr. Christian            Writer            1 Episode

Panic!   Writer            1 Episode

The Web            Writer            3 Episodes

1957-58            Have Gun – Will Travel   Writer            3 Episodes

Boots And Saddles            Writer            2 Episodes

1958    Target            Writer            1 Episode

Perry Mason            Writer            1 Episode

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse            Writer            1 Episode

1958-60            Wanted: Dead or Alive            Writer            6 Episodes

Tombstone Territory            Writer            2 Episodes

1958-61            Bat Masterson            Writer            14 Episodes

1959    The Rough Riders            Writer            1 Episode

Trackdown            Writer            2 Episodes

The Man and The Challenge            Writer            1 Episode

Bold Venture            Writer            1 Episode

1959-60            Richard Diamond, Private Detective            Writer            3 Episodes

1960            Stagecoach West            Writer            1 Episode

This Man Dawson            Writer            1 Episode

1960-61            Michael Shayne Writer            6 Episodes

1961    Target: The Corruptors!            Writer            1 Episode

King of Diamonds            Writer            1 Episode

1962    The Detectives            Writer            1 Episode

The New Breed   Writer            2 Episodes

1962-63            Ben Casey   Writer            3 Episodes

1963    I'm Dickens, He's Fenster            Associate Producer            1 Episode

The Untouchables            Writer            1 Episode

Redigo Writer            1 Episode

Ripcord            Writer            1 Episode

1963-64            Arrest and Trial            Writer            3 Episodes

1964            Rawhide          Writer            1 Episode

Voyage to the Bottom Of the Sea      Writer            2 Episodes

1965    Kraft Suspense Theatre Writer            3 Episodes

Convoy            Writer            1 Episode

1965-66            The Fugitive            Writer            5 Episodes

The Virginian            Writer            2 Episodes

1965-71            The F.B.I.   Writer            11 Episodes

1966    Tarzan            Writer, Co-Producer            6 Episodes

1967    The Man from U.N.C.L.E.            Writer            1 Episode

The Rat Patrol            Writer            2 Episodes

Cowboy in Africa   Writer            1 Episode

1967-68            Ironside          Writer            2 Episodes

The Invaders            Writer            4 Episodes

The Felony Squad  Writer            5 Episodes

1968-69            Lancer            Writer            2 Episodes

1969    The Outcasts            Writer            1 Episode

Strange Report            Writer            2 Episodes

1969-76            Medical Center            Writer, Producer, Story Consultant            Multiple Episodes

1970    Mannix            Writer            2 Episodes

The Name of the Game            Writer            1 Episode

1970-71            The Interns  Writer            2 Episodes

1976            Executive Suite            Writer, Producer            4 Episodes

1979-86            Trapper John, M.D.            Writer, Producer, Executive Producer            Multiple Episodes