Mel Brez obit

Melvin E Brez

19 SEPTEMBER, 1936 – 18 NOVEMBER, 2020

 

He was not on the list.

Melvin Edwin Brez passed away on November 18, 2020 at the age of 84 from complications of Parkinsons Disease. He was the beloved husband of Eddy, the loving father of Alexandra Brez and Zachary Brez, the dear father-in-law of Matthew Wickware and Jen Kangas, and the adoring Pops of Evan and Scarlett Brez, and William Wickware. He was predeceased by his parents, Sidney and Anna Brez, and his brother Norman Brez.

Mel was a graduate of Bryant High School and Queens College, and the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to Paris, to study film. His award-winning films included The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. He received a Daytime Emmy, and numerous Writers' Guild Awards for his work on Soap Operas.

Mel was a photography collector, a subscriber to the N.Y. Philharmonic, and a jazz buff. He had a head-thrown-back laugh that drew others to laugh with him. He always asked the tough questions. His attitude toward authority figures led him at times 00to take brazen actions. For instance, one cold rainy day when he was in the Army, Mel bet his barracks buddies that he would be sent to the infirmary, even though the doctor never sent anyone to the infirmary. Sure enough, as Mel waited in line, he heard the Doc tell every soldier ahead of him to take two aspirin and return to his unit, no matter what the ailment. Then it was Mel's turn. "What's up, soldier?" the Doc asked. Mel said, "I just had a heart attack." Confounded, the Doc said, "How do you know?" And Mel said, "Believe me, when you have a heart attack, you know." Mel got to spend the day in the warm infirmary while the Doc ran tests -- and he collected twenty bucks from his barracks mates.

Then there was the time when he won the Army typing contest even though he was up against typing whizzes and he could only peck with two fingers . . .

 

Writer

Passions (1999)

Passions

5.9

TV Series

Writer (1999-2001)

1999–2008

 

Port Charles (1997)

Port Charles

6.8

TV Series

writer

1998

1 episode

 

As the World Turns (1956)

As the World Turns

6.2

TV Series

associate head writer

co-head writer

head writer ...

1992–1998

102 episodes

 

Another World (1964)

Another World

7.0

TV Series

Writer

1995

7 episodes

 

Days of Our Lives (1965)

Days of Our Lives

5.2

TV Series

writer

associate head writer

1992–1995

17 episodes

 

Kristen Alderson, Kassie Wesley DePaiva, Erika Slezak, Trevor St. John, and John-Paul Lavoisier in One Life to Live (1968)

One Life to Live

6.9

TV Series

associate head writer

written by

writer

1985–1991

28 episodes

 

The Miracle of Kathy Miller (1981)

The Miracle of Kathy Miller

7.1

TV Movie

Writer

1981

 

Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood (1981)

Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood

4.4

TV Movie

screenplay

story

1981

 

O.J. Simpson and Melissa Michaelsen in Goldie and the Boxer (1979)

Goldie and the Boxer

5.7

TV Movie

Writer

1979

 

The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal (1979)

The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal

6.8

TV Movie

Writer

1979

 

James Pritchett in The Doctors (1963)

The Doctors

7.0

TV Series

story by

1977–1978

131 episodes

 

Roxy Page

TV Movie

Writer

1976

 

The Evil Touch (1973)

The Evil Touch

7.7

TV Series

written by

writer

1973–1974

4 episodes