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James Lee Barrett | |
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| Born | (1929-11-19)November 19, 1929 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | October 15, 1989(1989-10-15) (aged 59) Templeton, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Producer, screenwriter, author |
James Lee Barrett (November 19, 1929 – October 15, 1989) was an American author, producer andscreenwriter.[1][2]
Barrett was born in 1929 inCharlotte, North Carolina and graduated in 1950 fromAnderson University (South Carolina). Prior to his career as a screenwriter, he served in theUnited States Marines.
His first screenplay (based on his teleplayThe Murder of a Sand Flea) was for the 1957 film,The D.I.,[3] which starredJack Webb as a Marine Corpsdrill instructor atMCRD Parris Island. Barrett had been on Parris Island as a recruit in 1950[4] and served in theKorean War.[5][6]
Barrett, along with Peter Udell and Phillip Rose won the 1975Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical forShenandoah,[7] which was based on his1965 film by the same name, which starredJames Stewart.
Other notable works written or co-written by Barrett include the1965epic filmThe Greatest Story Ever Told,Smokey and the Bandit,The Green Berets,Bandolero! and co-writingOn the Beach. Barrett also scripted a made-for-TV remake ofThe Defiant Ones (which starredCarl Weathers andRobert Urich in theSidney Poitier andTony Curtis roles), and adapted the 1967 movieIn the Heat of the Night for aweekly series. (The show starredCarroll O'Connor andHoward Rollins, in theRod Steiger andSidney Poitier roles.) Barrett wrote and produced...tick...tick...tick..., a similarly themed Southern crime drama starringJim Brown andGeorge Kennedy.
Barrett died inTempleton, California in 1989 of cancer, aged 59.
