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Martin Ellyot Manulis (May 30, 1915 – September 28, 2007) was an American television, film, and theatre producer. Manulis was best known for his work in the 1950s producing the
CBS Television CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
programs ''
Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...
'', '' Studio One Summer Theatre'', ''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS pro ...
'', '' The Best of Broadway'' and ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
''. He was the sole producer of the award-winning drama series, ''Playhouse 90'', during its first two seasons from 1956 to 1958. After leaving ''Playhouse 90'', Manulis was the "head of television" for
20th Century Fox Television 20th Television, Inc. (formerly known as TCF Television Productions, Inc., 20th Century-Fox Television and 20th Century Fox Television) is the television studio arm of 20th Century Studios, owned by Disney Television Studios, a division of the Di ...
where he was responsible for creating and producing the series, '' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'', '' Adventures in Paradise'', and '' Five Fingers''. In 1962, he produced the film '' Days of Wine and Roses'' starring
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
and
Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (; December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film ''Days of Wine and Roses (film), Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962) and was nominated fo ...
.


Early years

Manulis was born and raised in the
Park Slope Park Slope is a neighborhood in South Brooklyn, New York City, within the area once known as South Brooklyn. Park Slope is roughly bounded by Prospect Park (Brooklyn), Prospect Park and Eighth Avenue (Brooklyn), Prospect Park West to the east, ...
neighborhood of
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York. His father, Abraham "Gus" Manulis, immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1897, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1911, and operated a drug store in Park Slope. His mother, Anna, was born in New York, the daughter of Russian immigrants. His older brother, Frederick, became a doctor and moved to
Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from West Palm Beach, Florida, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach, Florida, ...
. Manulis attended public schools in Brooklyn and graduated from Manual Training High School in Park Slope. At age 16, Manulis enrolled at Columbia College, Columbia University, majoring in English literature with aspirations to become a journalist. While at Columbia, he became involved in a student theater production. After receiving a favorable review from Lucius Beebe, Manulis continued to perform in all-male varsity stage productions. For three years, he played leading female roles. He spent one summer while still in college performing in summer stock in
Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor () is a resort town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population is 5,089. The town is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory, and MDI Biological Laborat ...
. In 1935, he played the lead role as a night club performer in Columbia's production of "Flair Flair, the Idol of Paree."


Live theater

Manulis graduated from Columbia in 1935 and began working as an assistant for Ben Boyer, the business manager for producer Max Gordon, at a salary of $25 a week. Manulis also produced summer stock at Bass Rocks in
Gloucester, Massachusetts Gloucester ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of North Shore (Massachusetts), Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census. ...
, in partnership with Henry Levin. They invited John C. Wilson, a producer who was then affiliated with
Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...
, to attend one of their productions. Wilson attended the performance and hired Manulis to work in his Broadway office. While employed by Wilson, Manulis directed rehearsals of understudies and reviewed scripts. Manulis was married in 1939 to Katherine Bard, an actress and the daughter of Ralph Austin Bard, who served as
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy. From 1861 to 1954, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was the second-highest civilian office in the Depart ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The couple had three children. Also in 1939, he acted in a short-lived Broadway production of ''They Walked Alone'' with
Elsa Lanchester Elsa Sullivan Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986) was a British actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.Obituary '' Variety'', 31 December 1986. Lanchester studied dance as a child and after the First World ...
. This was Manulis's last acting performance. He later joked that his character died at the end of Act II, and a critic panned his performance and suggested that the production could be improved if Manulis's character were killed instead at the end of Act I. By 1940, Manulis was living on East 9th Street in Manhattan with his wife. He was a theater director and she was an actress. In June 1940, he was hired as a regular director at the Bass Rocks Theatre in Gloucester. In early 1942, after the United States entered
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Manulis served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, England, censoring mail for war sensitive information. He met and became friends with
Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...
while stationed in London during the war. After the war, Manulis became associated with the
Westport Country Playhouse Westport Country Playhouse is a not-for-profit regional theater in Westport, Connecticut, Westport, Connecticut. It was founded in 1931 by Lawrence Langner, a New York theater producer. Langner remodeled an 1830s tannery with a Broadway-quality ...
in Connecticut. He was the managing director at Westport for the summers from 1946 through 1950. By 1950, he had developed a reputation as the "superb manager-director" of the Westport Playhouse. Manulis's stage productions in the post-war years include the following: * In February 1946, Manulis directed ''The Duchess Misbehaves'' at the Adelphi Theatre. *In September 1946, Manulis directed ''It's a Man's World'' at Westport. *In October 1946, Manulis directed his wife in the lead role in ''Made in Heaven!'' at the Henry Miller Theatre. * In January 1948, Manulis directed
Shirley Booth Shirley Booth (born Marjory Ford; August 30, 1898October 16, 1992) was an American actress. One of 24 performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, Booth was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Tony Awards. ...
in ''The Survivors'' at the Playhouse. *During the summer of 1950, Manulis directed his wife in ''The Long Days'' in the
Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of ...
's experimental course at Westport. *In November 1950, Manulis was the director of ''Pride's Crossing'', a play starring Mildred Dunnock and co-starring his wife at Broadway's Biltmore Theatre. * In January 1951, Manulis produced ''Springtime for Henry'' starring Edward Everett Horton and Manulis's wife at the winter stock season in the Bahamas. * In January 1952, Manulis co-produced the winter stock season at the Bahama Playhouse at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau. He directed two of the productions, including ''Goodbye Again'' starring Tom Ewell and Manulis's wife.


Television producer

In 1951, Manulis was hired by Charles Underwood as a staff producer for
CBS Television CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
. Although his wife had acted on television, Manulis had no personal experience in television and did not even own a television at the time. He was trained in television production by Worthington Miner at CBS Television. Manulis was then assigned to take over as the producer of '' Casey, Crime Photographer'', a half hour primetime drama. Manulis worked on ''Casey'' for approximately six months and hired Darren McGavin to take over the lead role. After the ''Casey'' program, Manulis was assigned to take over from Robert Stevens as the producer of ''
Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...
'', a weekly primetime half-hour anthology. Manulis worked on ''Suspense'' for about a year from 1952 to 1953 and worked with casts that included
Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage and television. His accolades included an Academy Aw ...
. In 1953, Manulis was assigned to produce '' Studio One Summer Theatre'', the summer version of CBS' 60-minute dramatic anthology series.


''The Best of Broadway''

In the fall of 1954, Manulis created and produced a new, once-a-month, 60-minute anthology series for CBS called '' The Best of Broadway''. The show featured adaptations of former Broadway hits and was broadcast live in color from New York City. Manulis later recalled the challenge of producing one of the first television shows in color, including the unwieldy color cameras and lighting problems. From September 1954 through February 1955, Manulis produced the first six episodes of the series, as follows: * '' The Royal Family of Broadway'' starring
Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur (; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress. Often referred to as the "First Lady of American Theatre", she was the second person and first woman to win EGOT, the EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and ...
,
Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, page 95. As ...
, and
Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...
(September 1954); * '' The Man Who Came to Dinner'' starring Monty Woolley, Merle Oberon, and Joan Bennett (October 1954); * '' Panama Hattie'' starring
Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...
,
Jack E. Leonard Jack E. Leonard (born Leonard Lebitsky; April 24, 1910 – May 10, 1973) was an Americans, American comedian and actor who made frequent appearances on television variety show, variety and game shows. Biography Leonard was born Leonard Leb ...
, and
Art Carney Arthur William Matthew Carney (November 4, 1918 – November 9, 2003) was an American actor and comedian. A recipient of an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award, and six Primetime Emmy Awards, he was best kn ...
(November 1954); * '' The Philadelphia Story'' starring Dorothy McGuire, John Payne, and Mary Astor (December 1954); * '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' starring Edward Everett Horton,
Peter Lorre Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, active first in Europe and later in the United States. Known for his timidly devious characters, his appearance, and accented vo ...
, and Orson Bean (January 1955); and *'' The Show-Off'' starring
Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...
and
Thelma Ritter Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American character actor, character actress who, known for her strong New York City English, New York City accent, diminutive size, and plain look, favored working-class roles. She ear ...
(February 1955). While working on ''The Best of Broadway'', Manulis hired a young
Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...
to direct ''The Philadelphia Story'' and ''The Show-Off''.


''Climax!''

In February 1955, after production problems with its new anthology series ''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS pro ...
'' culminating with an extra playing the part of a murder victim standing up and dusting himself off in full view of the audience, CBS fired the producer and director and sent Manulis to Los Angeles to take over as the show's producer. Manulis brought
John Frankenheimer John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films. Among his credits are ''Birdman of Alcatraz (film), Birdman of Alcatraz'', ''The Manc ...
with him to Los Angeles to work as the director of ''Climax!'' The show broadcast live every four weeks from
CBS Television City Television City, alternatively CBS Television City, is a television studio complex located in the Fairfax District, Los Angeles, Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California, United States. The facilities are located at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at ...
in the Fairfax District of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. Manulis produced 18 episodes of the series, including adaptations of '' A Farewell to Arms'' and ''
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ''Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, th ...
''.


''Playhouse 90''

Manulis is most remembered for his work as the producer of ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
'', a weekly anthology series broadcast live on Thursday nights from CBS Television City in Los Angeles. In 1956, CBS executive, Frank Stanton, decided to air a 90-minute drama series with high production values. The initial concept was to have a troika of producers divide the work, but Manulis was dissatisfied with the arrangement and withdrew. Ultimately, CBS relented and agreed to have Manulis produce every episode with Dominick Dunne and two others assisting him on production. Manulis produced the series for its first two seasons, hiring high quality talent to appear in the productions and using talented young writers and directors, including
Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his Anthology series, anthology television series ''The Twilight Zone (1 ...
,
John Frankenheimer John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films. Among his credits are ''Birdman of Alcatraz (film), Birdman of Alcatraz'', ''The Manc ...
,
Arthur Penn Arthur Hiller Penn (September 27, 1922 – September 28, 2010) was an American filmmaker, theatre director, and producer. He was a three-time Academy Award nominee for Academy Award for Best Director, Best Director, and a Tony Awards, Tony Awa ...
,
Arthur Hiller Arthur Hiller, (November 22, 1923 – August 17, 2016) was a Canadian television and film director with over 33 films to his credit during a 50-year career. He began his career directing television in Canada and later in the U.S. By the late ...
, and
George Roy Hill George Roy Hill (December 20, 1921 – December 27, 2002) was an American actor and film director. His films include ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' (1969) and ''The Sting'' (1973), both starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford; both fil ...
. Each show had a three-week production cycle, meaning that Manulis regularly had three 90-minute dramas in varying stages production simultaneously. In a 1957 interview with ''The New York Times'', Manulis said he viewed his job on ''Playhouse 90'' as a combination of "mother, wet nurse and psychiatrist". In 1996, he recalled the hectic schedule as follows: “It's simple. You rehearse three weeks, do the dress and make the changes sponsors and the network demand, you do the performance for the East Coast, you go home and watch the kinescope for the West Coast, you cut your throat and go to bed!" ''Playhouse 90'' won six Emmy Awards in its first season, including an Emmy for best single program of the year for '' Requiem for a Heavyweight'' written by Rod Serling, directed by
Ralph Nelson Ralph Nelson (August 12, 1916 – December 21, 1987) was an American film and television director, producer, writer, and actor. He was best known for directing '' Lilies of the Field'' (1963), '' Father Goose'' (1964), and '' Charly'' (1968 ...
, and starring Jack Palance,
Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his wikt:stock-in-trade, stock-in-trade; though he rarely carried the leading actor, lead role, h ...
and
Ed Wynn Isaiah Edwin Leopold (November 9, 1886 – June 19, 1966), better known as Ed Wynn, was an American actor and comedian. He began his career in vaudeville in 1903 and was known for his ''Perfect Fool'' comedy character, his pioneering radio show ...
. The show also won five Emmy Awards in its second season and was voted the greatest television series of all time in a 1970 poll of television editors. The episodes that Manulis produced from 1956 to 1958 included: *'' Forbidden Area'' directed by John Frankenheimer, adapted by Rod Serling and starring
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
(Episode 1, October 4, 1956); * ''Requiem for a Heavyweight'' (Episode 2, October 11, 1956); * ''The Ninth Day'' directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Piper Laurie (Episode 15, January 10, 1957) *'' The Miracle Worker'' directed by Arthur Penn (Episode 19, February 7, 1957); *'' The Comedian'' written by Rod Serling, directed by John Frankenheimer and starring
Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...
and
Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "the Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arrangement, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roa ...
(Episode 20, February 14, 1957); *'' Three Men on a Horse'' directed by Arthur Hiller and starring
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
and Carol Channing (Episode 29, April 18, 1957); *'' The Helen Morgan Story'' directed by George Roy Hill and starring
Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer, and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan (singer), Helen ...
(Episode 33, May 16, 1957). *''The Eighty Yard Run'' starring
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...
and Joanne Woodward (Season 2, January 16, 1958); Manulis later recalled that the quality of some of the productions declined in the second season. Asked to pick the worst "clinker" in his run as producer of ''Playhouse 90'', Manulis chose the season two premiere episode, ''The Death of Manolete'', starring Jack Palance in ill-fitting bullfighter clothes and model Suzy Parker as the love interest. He later wondered how a group of sophisticated men (including himself and John Frankenheimer) could have gone forward with a live show featuring a bull that was "played by a fake bull's head with a couple of stage hands jerking the head up and down in the middle of people and between things lying below the camera."


Fox Television

In 1958, Manulis left ''Playhouse 90'' and took a three-month break to tour Europe with his family. He returned in the fall of 1958 as the "head of television" at
20th Century Fox Television 20th Television, Inc. (formerly known as TCF Television Productions, Inc., 20th Century-Fox Television and 20th Century Fox Television) is the television studio arm of 20th Century Studios, owned by Disney Television Studios, a division of the Di ...
. He later recalled that, as soon as he arrived at Fox, he knew it was wrong. None of his directors or writers followed him to Fox. Manulis tried to quit shortly after arriving, but
Spyros Skouras Spyros Panagiotis Skouras (; ; March 28, 1893 – August 16, 1971) was a Greek-American motion picture pioneer and film executive who was the president of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962. He resigned June 27, 1962, but was chairman of the comp ...
refused to release him. Manulis stayed, and he discovered a proposal for a series that he developed as '' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'', starring Dwayne Hickman and Bob Denver. The show was co-produced by Martin Manulis Productions and aired for four seasons from 1959 to 1963. During his time at Fox, Manulis also developed a series with
James A. Michener James Albert Michener ( or ; February 3, 1907 – October 16, 1997) was an American writer. He wrote more than 40 books, most of which were long, fictional family sagas covering the lives of many generations, set in particular geographic locales ...
called '' Adventures in Paradise''. The show aired on ABC from October 1959 to April 1962. Despite poor reviews, the show was popular and aired for three years. Manulis later recalled that the lead actor,
Gardner McKay George Cadogan Gardner McKay (June 10, 1932 – November 21, 2001) was an American actor, artist, and author. He is best known for the lead role in the TV series ''Adventures in Paradise (TV series), Adventures in Paradise'', based loosely on t ...
, though remarkably good looking, simply could not act. He joked that a dubbed version using the voice of a skilled French actor and Gardner's good looks were the perfect combination and proved to be a hit in France. A third series produced by Manulis at Fox was '' Five Fingers'', an espionage program starring David Hedison and Luciana Paluzzi that aired on NBC from October 1959 to January 1960.


Motion picture producer

After leaving Fox, Manulis spent much of the 1960s producing motion pictures for theatrical release. In December 1961, he began production of '' Days of Wine and Roses'' starring
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
and
Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (; December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film ''Days of Wine and Roses (film), Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962) and was nominated fo ...
and directed by
Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...
. ''Days of Wine and Roses'' was first produced as an episode of ''Playhouse 90'' in the fall of 1958. Manulis's film version was released in December 1962 and received Academy Award nominations for best actor, best actress, best art direction, best costume design, and best original song. It was selected by the film critics of ''The New York Times'' as one of the 1000 best films ever made and as one of
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
's best 400 films. Other motion pictures produced by Manulis in the 1960s include '' Dear Heart'' (1964), a romantic comedy directed by
Delbert Mann Delbert Martin Mann Jr. (January 30, 1920 – November 11, 2007) was an American television and film director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film '' Marty'' (1955), adapted from a 1953 teleplay which he had also directed. ...
, and starring
Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006), known as Glenn Ford, was a Canadian-born American actor. He was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-office draws of th ...
and
Geraldine Page Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Geraldine Page, numer ...
; '' Luv'' (1967), a romantic comedy directed by Clive Donner and starring Jack Lemon,
Peter Falk Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/American Broadcasting Company, ABC series ''Columbo'' (196 ...
and Elaine May; and '' Duffy'' (1968), a comedy starring
James Coburn James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American film and television actor who was featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career.AllmoviBi ...
, James Mason and Susannah York.


Later years

In 1977, Manulis was the executive producer of the television series '' James at 16'', a coming-of-age drama starring Lance Kerwin that aired on NBC from 1977 to 1978. He produced the television miniseries, '' Chiefs'' in 1983 (starring
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
and Keith Carradine) and '' James Michener's Space'' in 1985 (starring James Garner, Beau Bridges, and Bruce Dern). From 1987 to 1989, he was the artistic director of the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. On September 28, 2007, Manulis died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, at the age of 92. Manulis's son, John Bard Manulis, is a motion picture producer.


Filmography


Television credits

*'' Casey, Crime Photographer'' (producer, 1951-1952) *''
Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...
'' (producer, 1952-1953) *'' Studio One Summer Theatre'' (producer, 1953) *'' The Best of Broadway'' (producer, 1954-1955) *''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS pro ...
'' (producer, 1955-1956) *''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...
'' (producer, 1956-1958) *'' The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis'' (producer, 1959-1963) *'' Adventures in Paradise'' (producer, 1959-1962) *'' Five Fingers'' (producer, 1959-1960) *''Double Solitaire'' (producer, 1974; TV movie) *'' James at 15'' (executive producer, 1977-1978) *'' The Day Christ Died'' (producer, 1980; TV movie) *''The Fighter'' (executive producer, 1983; TV movie) *'' Chiefs'' (executive producer, 1983; miniseries) *''
Space Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...
'' (producer, 1985; miniseries) *''Harem'' (executive producer, 1986; TV movie) *''Grass Roots'' (producer, 1992; TV movie)


Motion picture credits

*'' Days of Wine and Roses'' (producer, 1962) *'' Dear Heart'' (producer, 1964) *'' Luv'' (producer, 1967) *'' Duffy'' (producer, 1968)


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Manulis, Martin 1915 births 2007 deaths Film producers from California United States Navy personnel of World War II Television producers from California American theatre directors Columbia College (New York) alumni People from Park Slope Businesspeople from Los Angeles Television producers from New York City Film producers from New York (state) 20th-century American businesspeople United States Navy officers