Amelio "Mel" Dinelli (6 October 1912,Albuquerque, New Mexico – 28 November 1991,Los Angeles, California)[1] was an American writer for theatre, radio, film and magazines, usually in thesuspense genre. He grew up inAlbuquerque,New Mexico, and graduated fromAlbuquerque High School. He joined theAlbuquerque Little Theatre company for its inaugural season in 1931, acting in two plays alongside futureI Love Lucy starVivian Vance.[2][3] He later studied at thePasadena Playhouse school of theater arts and theUniversity of Washington.[4][5]
One of his earliest plays wasShubert Alley, about a young woman's rise to fame onBroadway, which was notable at the time for its all-female cast.[6] The play was published in 1943 and had reportedly been performed in 385 cities by 1945.[7] Later in the 1940s he wrote for theCBSradio drama seriesSuspense, including the 1945 episode "To Find Help" which starredFrank Sinatra in one of his first dramatic roles.[8] Dinelli later adapted the story into a play,The Man, which debuted on Broadway in 1950, and a film,Beware, My Lovely. He wrote a number of other Hollywood screenplays includingThe Spiral Staircase,The Window, andFritz Lang'sHouse by the River.
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