Theodore Strauss (December 27, 1912 – October 30, 2009) was an American writer and filmmaker.

Biography Strauss was born in Oklahoma on December 27, 1912."In memoriam". Writers Guild of America West Journal. Vol. 14, Iss. 1. p. 56. He worked in circulation at The New York Times in the 1930s."Books and Authors". The New York Times. Sep 26, 1937. p. 16. .

His novel Night at Hogwallow (Little, Brown & Co.,1937) was received positively by The New York Times."'The Enemy Gods' and Other Recent Fiction". The New York Times. Oct 17, 1937. p. 10. . Later he became the paper's "second-string film critic" (after Bosley Crowther)."Pictures: N.Y. Times' Ted Strauss To Par As Pic Writer". Variety. Jan 19, 1944. 153, 6. p. 40. In 1944, he left The New York Times to work as a screenwriter at Paramount.Weiler, A.H. "Random notes about people and pictures: an independent unit--Hollywood comes to New York". The New York Times. Feb 9, 1947. p. X5.

Strauss was known for his novel Moonrise (Viking, 1946). It was first published serially in a magazine and then adapted for the 1948 film of the same name.Schallert, Edwin. "Producers Buy 'Wild' Both in Plays, Books". Los Angeles Times. Dec 3, 1945. p. 9. "Of Local Origin". The New York Times. Dec 4, 1945. p. 38.

He worked for Life magazine and in 1956 was named editor of Woman's Home Companion.Stein, Herb. "Rambling reporter". The Hollywood Reporter. Feb 16, 1951. 112, 48. p. 2. "Ted Strauss Upped". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 140, Iss. 16. Jun 22, 1956. p. 3. He was also editorial director of Crowell-Collier."Rambling reporter". The Hollywood Reporter. Mar 20, 1951. 113, 20. p. 2. In 1957, he returned to the film industry in the eastern story department of 20th Century-Fox."Pictures: Strauss joins 20th-Fox". Variety. May 8, 1957. 206, 10. p. 7. "Ted Strauss Joins 20th in Eastern Story Dept". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 144, Iss. 36. May 3, 1957. p. 1. Robert Goldstein named him executive story editor at Fox in 1960."Ted Strauss Checks in". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 161, Iss. 36. Aug 31, 1960. p. 2.

From the 1960s–1980s, he was known for television documentaries."Strauss docu evening". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 280, Iss. 38, Feb 17, 1984. p. 13. Strauss and Terry Sanders won a Writers Guild of America Award for the film The Legend of Marilyn Monroe (1966). He was nominated for an Emmy for I Will Fight No More Forever (1975) and he won an Emmy for America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music (1976).

Strauss narrated the first hour of Jacques Cousteau: Cries from the Deep (1982). A Variety review said it was "dismally narrated" and elaborated that his "high-toned verbiage" spoiled the trip for viewers.Adil. "Radio-Television: Canadian TV Reviews - Jacques Cousteau: Cries from the Deep". Variety. Oct 27, 1982. 308, 13. p. 62.

A Variety review of his 1986 effort, Clue: Movies, Murder & Mystery, was critical: "Writer Theodore Strauss throws in so many subjects involved in fictional murder that the viewer is left wondering what the mystery is all about".Tone. "Radio-Television: Clue: Movies, Murder & Mystery". Variety. Sep 24, 1986. 324, 9. p. 110.

Personal life Strauss was married to Catherine Morrison; they had a son, Eric.

Later Strauss married Dorothy Comingore from 1947 to 1952; they had a son, Peter."Dorothy Comingore, Actress, in Female Lead of 'Citizen Kane". The Washington Post, Times Herald. Jan 1, 1972. p. B3. "Chatter: Hollywood". Variety. Aug 13, 1952. 187, 10. p. 54. . In 1956, Strauss married his third wife, Luann "Ludy" Miller, in Connecticut; they had a son, Jonathan, around 1960."Boy For Ted Strauss". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 159, Iss. 14. Mar 10, 1960. p. 4.

Theodore Strauss died on October 30, 2009.

Novels Night at Hogwallow (Little, Brown & Co., 1937); also published under the title The Haters"Books Published Today". The New York Times. Oct 8, 1937. p. 2. Moonrise (Viking, 1946)

Selected filmography

Film Moonrise (1948) Isn't It Romantic? (1948)T.A.W. "The Theatre: No It Isn't, Suh". Wall Street Journal. Oct 7, 1948. p. 1. The Russian Story (1948)Hoffman, Irving. "'Russian Story' only new pic to get B'way praise". The Hollywood Reporter. Jun 14, 1943. p. 4. Four Days in November (1964)Hogg. "Film review: Four Days in November". Variety. Oct 7, 1964. 236, 7. p. 6. Stuart, Mel. "Remembering the Wolper School". Writers Guild of America West Journal. Dec 1989. p. 62-63.

Television The Way Out Men (television) (1965)Horo. "Television reviews: The Way out Men". Variety. Feb 17, 1965. 237, 13. p. 38. They've Killed President Lincoln (1971) The Crucifixion of Jesus (1972)Smith, Cecil. "For Good Friday: the Crucifixion as a docu-drama".  Los Angeles Times. 26 Mar 1972: n2. The Killer Instinct (1973)Fob. "Radio-Television: The Killer Instinct". Variety. Dec 5, 1973. 273, 4. p. 44. Struggle for Survival (1974)Mick. "Television Reviews: Struggle for Survival". Variety. Jun 26, 1974. 275, 7. p. 42. I Will Fight No More Forever (1975) America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music (1976) Jacques Cousteau: Cries from the Deep (1982) Honeymooners Reunion (1985)Gansberg, Alan L. "Solt Prods, specials get wide May airing". The Hollywood Reporter. May 10, 1985. p. 1, 34. Clue: Movies, Murder & Mystery (1986)

References

External links

Theodore Strauss at Writers Guild Foundation Archive "The Moral of the Auteur Theory": Frank Borzage's Moonrise (and Theodore Strauss' Source Novel) at Senses of Cinema