Luther Davis

Luther Davis (August 29, 1916 – July 29 2008), was an American play- and screenwriter. He attended Culver Academies, received a BA from Yale and rose to the rank of major in the US Air Force. He was the father of two daughters and was 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 wrote fifteen movies, many television specials and co-produced Stephen MacDonald’s play, "Not About Heroes", Off-Broadway.

He won two Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards and was 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)

[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/theater/02davis.html] Obituary