Bond screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz dies
American screenwriter and director Tom Mankiewicz, whose credits included several James Bond films, has died from cancer at the age of 68.
Mankiewicz wrote the scripts for “Diamonds are Forever”, “Live and Let Die” and “The Man with the Golden Gun”.
He also worked on the first two Superman films, and the TV series “Hart to Hart”.
Mankiewicz, who died at his home on Saturday, underwent surgery to treat pancreatic cancer three months ago.
He was a member of a famous Hollywood family - his father Joseph directed “All About Eve” and his uncle Herman co-wrote “Citizen Kane”.
Mankiewicz began his film career in the early 1960s when he was hired as an assistant director on John Wayne film “The Comancheros”.
His work on the screenplay of “Diamonds Are Forever” was the beginning of a long association with the Bond franchise. He made uncredited contributions to “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker”.
During the 1970s, Mankiewicz wrote or co-wrote the screenplays for thrillers “The Eagle Has Landed” and “The Cassandra Crossing”.
He also wrote and directed on the TV series Hart to Hart, and directed the 1987 movie “Dragnet” - starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks.
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