Burton Prelutsky (January 5, 1940 – December 17, 2021) was an American screenwriter, newspaper columnist, and author.

Early life and career

A graduate of Los Angeles Fairfax High School, Prelutsky was the film critic for the

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

Daily Bruin The ''Daily Bruin'' is the student newspaper at the University of California, Los Angeles. It began publishing in 1919, the year UCLA was founded. The ''Daily Bruin'' distributes about 6,000 copies across campus three times a week. It also publ ...

'' and then a film critic for ''

Los Angeles Magazine ''Los Angeles,'' formerly known as ''Southern California Prompter'', is a monthly magazine based in Los Angeles, California. It focuses on telling regional news, culture, lifestyle, entertainment, and fashion stories from Los Angeles and the br ...

'' from 1961 to 1971, writing acerbic reviews that gained him a reputation as "the fastest barb in the west." He also wrote a weekly column for the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

' ''magazine'', '' ''West.'' In the late 1960s he wrote several episodes of the '' Dragnet'' television series. He wrote eight episodes of the ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richa ...

'' television series during seasons four, five, and six, including " The Novocaine Mutiny", "The General's Practitioner", "The Grim Reaper", and "

Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler? "Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler?" was the 81st episode of the ''M*A*S*H'' television series, and the ninth of season four. The episode aired on November 7, 1975. "Quo Vadis" is Latin for "Where are you going?" and is a reference to a conversation ...

" In 2000 Prelutsky was one of the earliest plaintiffs to sign on to a class action lawsuit brought against television talent agencies, networks and production studios accused of discrimination against older writers. The suit was settled in 2010 for $70 million.

Awards and recognition

In 1985 Prelutsky won a

Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility Th ...

in the original comedy anthology category for the 1983

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

''Hobson's Choice.'' He was nominated for an

Edgar Allan Poe Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor ...

in 1982 under the category "Best Television Feature or Miniseries" for his work on the 1981 television movie ''A Small Killing'', and in 1976 was nominated for a

Humanitas Prize The Humanitas Prize is an American award for film and television writing, presented to writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced and meaningful manner. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser—also the founder of ...

in the category "30 Minute Network or Syndicated Television" for his work on the 1975 "

" episode of the television program ''

''. He received a

Christopher Award The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, films and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organizatio ...

in 1987 for '' A Winner Never Quits'', a television movie that was broadcast on CBS in 1986.

Personal life and death

Prelutsky died on December 17, 2021, at the age of 81.

References

External links

Burt Prelutsky
a
The Patriot Post

BurtPrelutsky.com
(archived)
Burt Prelutsky
at

Townhall.com Townhall is an American conservative website, print magazine and radio news service. Katie Pavlich is Editor. Previously published by The Heritage Foundation, it is now owned and operated by Salem Communications. The website features more tha ...

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Prelutsky, Burt 1940 births 2021 deaths American male screenwriters Screenwriters from Chicago Fairfax High School (Los Angeles) alumni