Donald Alan Brinkley (March 9, 1921 – July 14, 2012) was an American television writer, director and producer. He wrote for many television shows in a career that spanned over 55 years. He is most notable for 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.
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 a 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 and accumulated many high ratings and awards for its 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 US prime time television 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".
Early life
Don Brinkley grew 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.
Family Don married Marjorie M. Bowling and legally adopted her children, including Christie. The day after Don died, Marjorie had a stroke and heart attack, dying only seven weeks later.
Filmography Films Year Film Credit Notes1959Beach PatrolWriter1982Family In BlueWriter1988Divided We StandWriter, Producer
Television Year TV Series Credit Notes1951Dick TracyWriter1 Episode1952The Cisco KidWriter1 Episode1953The WebWriter1 EpisodeI Led 3 LivesWriter1 Episode1955-57Highway PatrolWriter, Director1956-57West PointWriter11 Episodes1957Dr. ChristianWriter1 EpisodePanic!Writer1 EpisodeThe WebWriter3 Episodes1957-58Have Gun – Will TravelWriter3 EpisodesBoots And SaddlesWriter2 Episodes1958TargetWriter1 EpisodePerry MasonWriter1 EpisodeWestinghouse Desilu PlayhouseWriter1 Episode1958-60Wanted: Dead or AliveWriter6 EpisodesTombstone TerritoryWriter2 Episodes1958-61Bat MastersonWriter14 Episodes1959The Rough RidersWriter1 EpisodeTrackdownWriter2 EpisodesThe Man and The ChallengeWriter1 EpisodeBold VentureWriter1 Episode1959-60Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveWriter3 Episodes1960Stagecoach WestWriter1 EpisodeThis Man DawsonWriter1 Episode1960-61Michael ShayneWriter6 Episodes1961Target: The Corruptors!Writer1 EpisodeKing of DiamondsWriter1 Episode1962The DetectivesWriter1 EpisodeThe New BreedWriter2 Episodes1962-63Ben CaseyWriter3 Episodes1963I'm Dickens, He's FensterAssociate Producer1 EpisodeThe UntouchablesWriter1 EpisodeRedigoWriter1 EpisodeRipcordWriter1 Episode1963-64Arrest and TrialWriter3 Episodes1964RawhideWriter1 EpisodeVoyage to the Bottom Of the SeaWriter2 Episodes1965Kraft Suspense TheatreWriter3 EpisodesConvoyWriter1 Episode1965-66The FugitiveWriter5 EpisodesThe VirginianWriter2 Episodes1965-71The F.B.I.Writer11 Episodes1966TarzanWriter, Co-Producer6 Episodes1967The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Writer1 EpisodeThe Rat PatrolWriter2 EpisodesCowboy in AfricaWriter1 Episode1967-68IronsideWriter2 EpisodesThe InvadersWriter4 EpisodesThe Felony SquadWriter5 Episodes1968-69LancerWriter2 Episodes1969The OutcastsWriter1 EpisodeStrange ReportWriter2 Episodes1969-76Medical CenterWriter, Producer, Story ConsultantMultiple Episodes1970MannixWriter2 EpisodesThe Name of the GameWriter1 Episode1970-71The InternsWriter2 Episodes1976Executive SuiteWriter, Producer4 Episodes1979-86Trapper John, M.D.Writer, Producer, Executive ProducerMultiple Episodes
References
External links
Donald Brinkley collection, 1946-1987, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Collection, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.