Luther Davis

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Luther Davis (born August 29, 1916 in New York) is an American play- and screenwriter. He holds a BA from Yale and rose to the rank of major in the US Air Force. He is the father of two daughters and is married to actress Jennifer Bassey.

In collaboration with Charles Lederer, Robert Wright, and George Forrest, Luther Davis wrote Kismet, Timbuktu!, and two different treatments of Vicki Baum’s novel Grand Hotel (At the Grand for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Light Opera Association and the Broadway musical version, Grand Hotel, The Musical).

He received two Tony Awards in 1954 (with Lederer) for Kismet as Best Author (Musical) and as co-author of the book contributed to the Best Musical win. He was nominated again in 1978, for Most Innovative Production of a Revival, as producer of Timbuktu!, and in 1990 as author of the Best Book (Musical) for Grand Hotel, The Musical.

He has written fifteen movies, many television specials and co-produced Stephen MacDonald’s play, Not About Heroes, Off-Broadway.

He has won two Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards and been nominated many times by the Writers Guild of America and the League of American Theaters and Producers.

His credits as playwright include (with Broadway runs):

• Kiss Them for Me (Mar 20, 1945 - Jun 23, 1945)
• New Faces of 1952 (May 16, 1952 - Mar 28, 1953)
• Kismet (Dec 3, 1953 - Apr 23, 1955)
• Timbuktu! (Mar 1, 1978 - Sep 10, 1978)
• Grand Hotel (Nov 12, 1989 - Apr 25, 1992)

His credits as screenwriter include:

• The Hucksters (1947)
• A Lion is in the Streets (1953)
• New Faces (1954)
• Kismet (1955)
• Kiss Them for Me (1957)
• The Gift of Love (1958)
• Holiday for Lovers (1959)
• Le Meraviglie Di Aladino (1961)
• Lady in a Cage (1964)
• Daughter of the Mind (1969)
• The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970)
• Across 110th Street (1972)