John Michael Hayes

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John Michael Hayes (born May 11, 1919) is an American screenwriter.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Hayes began his writing career as a newspaper reporter. Following a stint with the US Army during WII, he moved to California, where he wrote for such radio dramas as Sam Spade and Inner Sanctum. His first screen credit was for Redball Express in 1952.

Much of Hayes's career was spent writing screenplays for glossy, big-budget soap operas like Torch Song with Joan Crawford, BUtterfield 8 with Elizabeth Taylor, The Carpetbaggers with Carroll Baker, and Where Love Has Gone [1] with Susan Hayward and Bette Davis. His adaptation of Grace Metalious's steamy bestseller, Peyton Place, earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Hayes collaborated with director Alfred Hitchcock on four films: Rear Window (for which he won an Edgar Award and an Oscar nomination), To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry and The Man Who Knew Too Much.

After several years of retirement, Hayes resurfaced to co-write director Charles Haid's family adventure drama Iron Will [2], starring Kevin Spacey, in 1994. He taught film writing at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire until he retired in 2000.