Max Ehrlich (writer)
# Max Ehrlich (writer)

Max Simon Ehrlich (October 10, 1909 – February 11, 1983) was an American writer. He is best known for the novel The Reincarnation of Peter Proud and the movie of the same name.

## Biography

### Early life and education

Max Simon Ehrlich was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on October 10, 1909 to Simon and Sarah Ehrlich. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in 1933.

### Career

Ehrlich began his career in newspapers, working as a correspondent for the Albany, New York Knickerbocker Press and Evening News during his college years, then after graduating as a feature writer for the Springfield, Massachusetts Republican. From there he turned to radio, working as the chief writer of the script division of WSPR in 1938 and 1939, in the script division of the American Jewish Committee from 1939 to 1941, and from 1941 to 1945 he was the assistant script director of the radio division of the American Red Cross.

After 1945, Ehrlich was a novelist, playwright, radio and TV dramatist, and author of adaptations for radio, television, and feature films. He wrote radio scripts for series including The Big Story, The Shadow, Big Town, Mr. and Mrs. North, and Murder at Midnight. His television work included scripts for the series Barney Blake, The Big Story, The Defenders, The Nurses, The United States Steel Hour, and Star Trek (episode "The Apple"). Three of his feature film scripts (listed below) were adaptations of his own novels.

### Marriage and children

Ehrlich married and had two daughters. One daughter, Amy Ehrlich, is a writer of books for children.

### Death

Ehrlich died on February 11, 1983.

## Published books

* The Big Eye (Doubleday, 1949)
* Spin the Glass Web (Harper & Brothers, 1952)
* First Train to Babylon (Harper, 1955)
* The Takers (Harper, 1961)
* Deep is the Blue (Doubleday, 1964)
* The High Side (Fawcett Publications, 1970)
* The Edict (Doubleday, 1971)
* The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (Bobbs-Merrill, 1974)
* The Savage is Loose (Bantam Books, 1974)
* The Cult (Simon & Schuster, 1978)
* Reincarnation in Venice (Simon & Schuster, 1979)
* Naked Beach (Granada, 1979)
* The Big Boys (Houghton Mifflin, 1981)
* Shaitan (Arbor House, 1981)

## Filmography

### Films

| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1953 | The Glass Web | Story by | Based on his novel Spin the Glass Web |
| 1954 | The Lie | Written By | |
| 1961 | The Naked Edge | Story by | Based on his novel First Train to Babylon |
| 1961 | I Will Not Confess | Story by | |
| 1967 | Sail To Glory | Written By | Co-wrote screenplay with Gerald Schnitzer |
| 1972 | Z.P.G. | Written By, Associate Producer | Co-wrote screenplay with Frank De Felitta |
| 1974 | The Savage Is Loose | Written By | Co-wrote screenplay with Frank De Felitta |
| 1975 | The Reincarnation of Peter Proud | Written By | Based on the novel of the same name |

### Television

| Year | TV Series | Credit | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1950 | Sure as Fate | Writer | 2 Episodes |
| 1950–52 | Suspense | Writer | 5 Episodes |
| 1951–58 | Studio One In Hollywood | Writer | 4 Episodes |
| 1952 | Tales of Tomorrow | Writer | 4 Episodes |
| 1952 | Man Against Crime | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1954 | The Big Story | Writer | 2 Episodes |
| 1954 | The Mail Story | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1956 | Lux Video Theatre | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1956 | Navy Log | Writer | 4 Episodes |
| 1956–57 | Assignment Foreign Legion | Writer | 7 Episodes |
| 1958 | The Court of Last Resort | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1959 | Deadline | Writer | 3 Episodes |
| 1959–60 | No Hiding Place | Writer, Script Editor | |
| 1960 | Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1961 | The Witness | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1961 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1961 | The United States Steel Hour | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1961 | Tallahassee 7000 | Writer | 4 Episodes |
| 1961–62 | The Defenders | Writer | 4 Episodes |
| 1962 | General Electric Theater | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1962 | Checkmate | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1962 | Target: The Corruptors! | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1962 | The Dick Powell Show | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1963 | The Untouchables | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1965 | For The People | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1965 | Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1966 | Jericho | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1966 | Run For Your Life | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1967 | Star Trek | Writer | 1 Episode |
| 1967 | The Wild Wild West | Writer | 1 Episode |

## Awards

* 1944: Writers' War Board Award
* 1963: Huntington Hartford Foundation Fellowship
