Edward J. Lakso
| Edward J. Lakso | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Edward Joseph Shea III September 20, 1932 Auburn, California |
| Died |
May 23, 2009 (aged 76) Beverly Hills, California, United States |
| Cause of death | Complications of Parkinson's disease |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, composer, producer |
| Years active | 1959–1986 |
| Organization | Writers Guild of America West, ASCAP |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Louise Laird (1953 - 1963; divorced) Diane H. Haggin (1967 - 1975; divorced) Linda Rouse (1985 to 2009; his death) |
Edward Joseph Lakso (September 20, 1932 – May 23, 2009), usually known as Edward J. Lakso and sometimes mis-credited as Edward J. Lasko, was an American screenwriter, producer, and composer, known for his work on series such as Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and Charlie's Angels.
Life and career
Lakso was born on September 20, 1932 in San Francisco.
Lakso's parents divorced when he was four years old. His mother married Wayne Jalo Lakso in 1936, and Lakso began to legally use the surname shortly after that.
Lakso graduated from UCLA with a degree in music. While there he was recruited to write his first screenplay, "Operation Dames" a Korean war drama about a USO troop trapped behind enemy lines. One actor did not show up the first day of shooting in Topanga Canyon so the director put Lakso in the role. Subsequently he wrote two songs that were incorporated into the movie. Lakso co-wrote and scored The Immoral Mr. Teas, an early film by Russ Meyer, and scripted several other films, including The Broken Land the screen debut for Jack Nicholson, (1962), Gentle Giant (1967), and the blaxploitation film Brother on the Run (1973), which he co-directed with Herbert Stock.[1]
Lakso is best known for his television work, writing "Combat!",Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Charlie's Angels, ' The Rockford Files, "Name of the Game",'Starsky and Hutch, Airwolf, The Fall Guy, and Hawaii Five-O.[2] He also composed music for Charlie's Angels and Dr. Kildare.
Lakso also wrote, produced and/or directed several musicals. "Tom Piper", for which he wrote the book, music and lyrics was produced at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut, "Watergate, the Musical" written and produced with Tommy Oliver at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta Georgia; and "Vincent, the Musical" staged at the Las Palmas theater in Hollywood.
Family
Lakso and his first wife, Ruth Louise (Laird) Lakso, divorced in 1961. They had 2 children. In 1985, Lakso married writer-actress Lee Travis. They had no children. She remained with him until his death.
Lakso died from complications of Parkinson's disease on May 23, 2009 at home in Beverly Hills.