Eric Bercovici

Eric Bercovici (February 27, 1933 – February 9, 2014) was an American television and film producer and screenwriter. He was best known for producing and adapting the screenplay for the 1980 television miniseries ''Shōgun''.

Born in New York City to screenwriter Leonardo Bercovici and Frances Ellis Fleischman, he studied theater at Yale University. His career had barely begun when his father was blacklisted in 1951 through the late 1950s. Eric Bercovici then went to Europe to work on films, returning to the U.S. in 1965. He then began writing episodes of ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', ''I Spy'', and '' The Danny Thomas Hour''. He wrote the screenplays for the 1968 films '' Hell in the Pacific'' and '' Day of the Evil Gun''. In the 1970s, he wrote episodes for '' Hawaii Five-O'' and created the series ''Assignment Vienna'' and its pilot ''Assignment: Munich''. In 1977, he adapted John Ehrlichman's novel, ''The Company'', into a miniseries titled ''Washington: Behind Closed Doors''.

In 1980, Bercovici adapted James Clavell's 1975 novel, ''Shōgun'', about an English seaman marooned in 17th century Japan, into a nine-hour miniseries of the same name. He was also a producer of the series. ''Shōgun'' won three of its 14 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Miniseries,Eric Bercovici , Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
/ref> and all three of its Golden Globe nominations, including Best TV Series – Drama. At the time, it was also one of the highest-rated miniseries in television history, second only to ''Roots''.

Bercovici would finish out the 1980s and his writing/producing career as the creator, writer and executive producer for the 1981–82 James Arness vehicle ''McClain's Law'' (including its two-hour pilot film) as well as the 1982 ensemble drama ''Chicago Story'', but neither series lasted longer than 14 episodes. His novel ''So Little Cause for Caroline'' was adapted into the 1982 made-for-TV film ''One Shoe Makes It Murder'' and he wrote at least one episode of Lindsay Wagner's 1984 police drama '' Jessie''. In 1986–87 he was one of the screenwriters for the films ''The Fifth Missile'' and '' Farewell Moscow''. His final project was as writer and producer of '' Noble House'', based on another Clavell novel. When not writing screenplays, Bercovici wrote crime novels.

Personal life

Eric Bercovici was the son of screenwriter Leonardo Bercovici (1908 –1995) and Frances Ellis Fleischman (1910 - 1951). His father also directed and produced three feature films.

In February 2014, Eric Bercovici died of a heart attack at his home in Kaneohe, Hawaii 18 days before his 81st birthday. He was survived by his wife, Chiho Adachi, whom he met while making ''Shōgun'', and three sons from previous marriages, musician/composer/producer Jacob Bercovici, producer/engineer Hilary Bercovici and writer/actor/director Luca Bercovici.Eric Bercovici dies at 80; screenwriter made 'Shogun' miniseries
/ref>Eric Bercovici, Emmy-Winning Writer-Producer of Miniseries Including ‘Shogun,’ Dies at 80
/ref> He was formerly married to Sylvia, and actress Karen Berger.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bercovici, Eric
1933 births
2014 deaths
American male screenwriters
Film producers from New York (state)
Television producers from New York City
Writers from New York City
Screenwriters from New York (state)