Joseph Liss (September 2, 1911 – May 20, 1988) was an American radio and television scriptwriter and editor.Ellett, Ryan (2017). Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 128. "Joseph Liss was a script writer and editor for much of the 1940s, first for the federal government and then as a freelancer. His earliest work was for The Columbia Workshop (1939, 1942, 1946) but then beginning around 1941 as a member of the Library of Congress Radio Project with Alan Lomax and Archibald MacLeish. [...] After 1946, Liss left the government sector to earn a living doing freelance writing and editing. One of his first jobs was co-writing Fighting Senator on CBS (1946). [...] Liss wrote various dramatic television scripts during the 1950s and 1960s"
Early life and career Born in Odesa,Kaplan, Debra; Moss, Rachel Merrill, ed. (2023). The Dybbuk Century: The Jewish Play That Possessed the World. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press. p. 131. . "After World War II, The Dybbuk was itself something of a dybbuk. Habima did not stage its expressionist version in New York until May 1948. [...] The following year, The Dybbuk was presented on TV in an adaptation by the Odesa-born TV dramatist Joseph Liss, as part of the CBS series Westinghouse Studio One, featuring the Yiddish actor David Opatoshu as Sender.""Illinois, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZC-8PD5 : Tue Apr 08 02:28:35 UTC 2025), Entry for Joseph Liss and Sherman Dryer, 16 Oct 1940. on September 2, 1911, Liss was raised in Brooklyn, where he attended Public School, No. 37 (aka Sylvester Malone School)."The Eagle's Honor Roll for Month of December: Eagle Makes Important Announcement—Bronze Medals for Pupils Who Get on Honor Roll Four Times Within School Year—Silver Bars for Those Who Already Have Medals". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. . pp. 2, 3, 4.
Entertainment writer Leonard Lyons, writing in 1960 (more than two decades after the fact), informed readers that Liss's entry into the ranks of professional writers, circa late 1930s, had been both utterly unforeseen and purely expedient, arrived at wholly by means of simple elimination; an arrival, moreover, that had the added consequence of connecting Liss to yet another future dramatist of note. Joe Liss, now one of the most successful writers in television, started writing by accident. During the depression days he applied for a job at the WPA offices. There were several lines of applicants. The shortest line was for the "Writers" Section, and so he went there, and was hired. Liss was assigned to work with another young writer, Arthur Miller.Lyons, Leonard (January 26, 1960). "The Lyons Den". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 15.
Liss's radio career commenced in 1939 with scripts for Columbia Workshop; by 1941, he had joined the Library of Congress, alongside archivist Alan Lomax, and engineer Jerome Wiesner, serving as the script editor for the Library's Radio Research Project."SOUND RECORDINGS OF FESTIVAL MADE FOR U. S. LIBRARY". Asheville Citizen-Times. July 26, 1941. p. 2. under whose auspices he contributed to programs such as Report to the Nation and Human Adventure.Little, Mary (October 7, 1941). "Report to Nation Shows the Crisis' Effect on U.S.". The Des Moines Register.
Though relatively new to the field of theatrical adaptation of literary classics, his attention to detail regarding this newfound specialty was, on at least one notable occasion, so thorough as to have unintended and disconcerting consequences, as when Studio One producer Worthington Miner, without bothering to reread the particular classic in question, Kipling's The Light That Failed (one of the producer's self-avowed personal favorites—albeit with the crucial qualifier, "as a boy"), had "simply shipped it off to Joe Liss, one of our best writers, for adaptation".
Imagine my fury on discovering that Joe Liss, for no reason I could fathom, had so jazzed up the end that the whole thing had become sleazy and salacious. Into Kipling's tender and beautiful love story, he'd introduced a Lesbian theme. Lesbian? Kipling? [...] I was still so angry when Joe got to my office I lit into him before he had a chance to speak. [...] "Tony," he said gently as I finally gave him an opening, "Tony, baby, when did you last read The Light That Failed? [...] Read it, baby. I didn't add that Lesbian angle. Kipling did. I just softened it." [I grudgingly did as he suggested, and] Joe was right. Kipling hadn't even minced his words. That was the story Kipling had meant to tell, and he'd told it. I never again scheduled an adaptation without re-reading the original.Schaffner, Franklin J. (1985). Worthington Miner : A Directors Guild of America Oral History. Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press. p. 203. .
Arguably the pinnacle of Liss's Studio One output is his June 1949 adaptation of S. Ansky's The Dybbuk. Produced by Miner, directed by Paul Nickell, starring Arnold Moss, and featuring "special choreography" by Felicia Sorel, the broadcast was dubbed "the most satisfying dramatic performance I have yet seen on the new medium" by New Republic critic Saul Carson, who goes on to commend Liss and Miner's "thorough grasp of television's possibilities" and concludes with the observation, "It would be tragic if the Liss-Miner 'Dybbuk' were relegated to the status of one-shot; it should be in television's repertory."Carson, Saul (June 20, 1949). "ON THE AIR: A Week of Precedents". ‘’The New Republic’’. p. 27.
Carson was similarly impressed the following year with Liss's Philco Playhouse episode, "Ann Rutledge" (ostensibly an adaptation of the like-named, 24-minute Cavalcade of America episode that had aired in 1949, scripted by the much better known Norman Corwin, with whom Liss is credited jointly here). Corwin's contribution consisted of his name (the sponsors insisted on that) and dozen lines or so of dialogue. The play was an original, by Joseph Liss. Probably the busiest dramatist on TV this season, Liss's opportunities for original writing are rare: most often, he is held down to adaptations, like that of Christopher La Farge's The Sudden Guest, which he had to fit to the home screen a week earlier. On this occasion, however, he got his chance, and he used it well. Grace Kelly, who played the title role, and Stephen Courtleigh as the young Lincoln, were entirely credible. 'Ann Rutledge' is not only a fitting tribute to the martyred president; it was also a commentary on what TV might receive from its better writers.Carson, Saul (February 27, 1950). "On the Air: The Distaff Side". The New Republic. p. 23.
Liss's drama, "The Inward Eye" (aka "The Inward Horizon"Tashman, George (March 16, 1954). "Clickin' the Channels". Richmond Independent. p. 6. "Comedy Hour was followed Sunday by TV Playhouse, which offered 'The Inward Horizon,' by Joseph Liss. This was originally titled "The Inward Eye," but was changed for some unknown reason. Phyllis Kirk starred in this serious and moving drama about a blind girl who finds a new life through seeing eye dog. Although we have all seen seeing eye dogs at one time or another, I don't believe the average person knew the work that goes into training and matching the master and the dog. 'The Inward Horizon' was beautifully done,"), was produced by Goodyear Playhouse, starring Phyllis Kirk, Philip Abbott, David White, and Steven Hill."TV Key". Brooklyn Eagle. March 14, 1954. p. 28. "9:00 p.m. Ch. 4-TV Playhouse. 'The Inward Eye.' Phyllis Kirk stars in an eloquent, touching and often humorous documentary by ace author Joseph Liss about the problems of the blind and their training with Seeing Eye dogs. To the list of the Four Freedoms add the one examined in this expert play--the freedom to move about." The following year it was produced by London Playhouse, starring Patricia Owens, along with William Hartnell, John Horsley, and David Markham."Thursday November 10". Picture Post. November 1955. p. 58.
In her review of a January 1958 episode of Wide Wide World entitled "A World on Wheels", Montreal Star TV critic Pat Pearce credits Liss for at least "managing to make an informative 90 minutes out of what was, in essence, one giant motor car commercial".Pearce, Pat (January 6, 1958). "Sunday TV Fare Good But Weighty". The Montreal Star. p. 14.
Personal life and death On April 17, 1936, in the nation's capitol, Liss married native New Yorker, fellow Brooklynite, and Hunter College alumnus (class of 1930), Mildred Melman,"Licensed to Marry". The Washington Herald. April 18, 1936"District of Columbia, Marriages, 1811-1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V64L-5JR : Fri Mar 08 04:45:41 UTC 2024), Entry for Joseph Liss and Mildred Melman, 17 Apr 1936."United States, Census, 1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XP8-BC49 : Thu Oct 05 15:36:48 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph Liss and Mildred Liss, 27 April 1950."Public School 95, Jamaica". Times Union. June 29, 1922. p. 15."Play School Comedy". The Brooklyn Daily Times. November 4, 1925. p. 10.Hunter College (June 18, 1930). "Candidates for Degrees (continued): Bachelor of Arts". Hunter College 61st Commencement Program. p. 7. They had at least two children, daughters Josephine and Emily.."From the Production Centres: New York City". Variety. December 8, 1948. p. 24. "Joe Liss rates production centers: CBS-TV 'Studio One' produces his 'Time Is a King Friend’ on Jan. 9. Helen Hayes’ 'Electric Theatre’ does Liss’ original Dec. 26 called 'The Second Sarah Siddons’. And Liss’ wife gave birth to a girl, Emily, last week."
Liss died on May 20, 1988, aged 76."United States, Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JPHL-9M8 : 7 January 2021), Joseph Liss, 20 May 1988; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
Filmography
Studio One Ep. "Not So Long Ago" (1948) - writer Ep. "The Outward Room" (1949) - teleplay Ep. "Moment of Truth" (1949) – teleplay Ep. "The Dybbuk" (1949) – adaptation Ep. "The Outward Room" (1949) – adaptation Ep. "The Light That Failed" (1949) – adaptation Ep. "The Inner Light" (1949) – adaptation Ep. "The Scarlet Letter" (1950) – adaptation "Torrents of Spring" (1950) – adaptation Ep. "Trilby" (1950) – adaptation Ep. "The Floor of Heaven" (1950) adaptation Ep. "Hangman's House" (1951) – adapted by Ep. "Mutiny on the Nicolette" (1951) – by Ep. "Waterfront Boss" (1952) – adaptation Ep. "Pagoda" (1952) – adaptation Philco Television Playhouse Ep. "The Last Tycoon" (1949) – teleplay Ep. "Mist on the Waters" (1949) – adaptation Ep. "Little Boy Lost" (1950) – adaptation Ep. "The Sudden Guest" (1950) – writer Ep. "Ann Rutledge" (1950) – adaptation Ep. "The Second Oldest Profession" (1950) – adaptation Ep. "The Touch of a Stranger" – adaptation Ep. "The Gambler" (1950) – writer Ep. "The Great Escape" (1951) – adaptation Ep. "Bulletin 120" (1951) - writer Ep. "Tender Age" (1952) – writer Ep. "The Best Laid Schemes" (1952) – writer The O'Neills Ep. 1.1 (1949) Suspense Ep. "Suspicion" (1949) – teleplay Ep. "Man in the House" (1949) – adapted by Lux Video Theatre Ep. "To Thine Own Self" (1950) – adaptation The Ford Theatre Hour Ep. "The Heart of Darkness" (1950) – adapted by Ep. "Cause for Suspicion" (1950) – adapted by Ep. "The Golden Mouth" (1951) – adapted by Ep. "The Heart of Darkness (restaged)" (1951) – adapted by Ep. "Dead on the Vine" (1951) – adapted by The Black Forest (1954) – writer Goodyear Playhouse Ep. "The Inward Eye" (1954) – writer American Inventory Ep. "The Doodlebrain" (1955) – written by London Playhouse Ep. "The Inward Eye" (1955) - writer Wide Wide World Ep. "American Rhapsody" (1955) – writer Ep. "Portrait of an American Winter" (1956) – writer Ep. "Birth of an American" (1956) – writer