Hollywood legend writer/director TOM MANKIEWICZ, who contributed to 5 JAMES BOND films and made sense out of senselessness that was SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE is dead at 68.
The hard working writer/director died from cancer at his Hollywood home after a long battle.
Mank was born into Hollywood royalty, the son of Joseph Mankiewicz the Oscar winner behind All About Eve in 1942.
His first slow writing credit was for the Nancy Sinatra TV special in 1968 Moving With Nancy.
A meeting with Bond producer Cubby Broccolli led to his first 007 assignment — polishing Diamonds Are Forever – Sean Connery‘s "last"official outing as the super-spy.
They were so pleased with Mank’s work that he was offered the first Roger Moore film Live and Let Die as solo scripter.
He also contributed to Man with the Golden Gun and The Spy Who Loved Me.
After Moonraker, Mank concentrated on the TV series Hart to Hart starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers, overhauling the concept for producer Aaron Spelling.
With too many cooks contributing to the frothy mess of Superman: The Movie including Godfather author Mario Puzo, Mankiewicz worked closely with director Richard Donner to smooth out disparate elements to create a viable shooting script.
Despite actually writing the finished screenplay, due to a Writer’s Guild loophole, Mank only received a "creative consultant" credit. But Hollywood knew exactly who was responsible.
Ironically, he worked with Donner nearly 30 years later in 2006 on the restored Director’s Cut of Superman 2 after Donner was fired from the sequel and replace by Beatles director Richard Lester.
Screen doctor duties also included Gremlins, Wargames, Lady Hawke and Tim Burton‘s Batman.
He also wrote and directed the 1987 cult classic spoof Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Ackroyd.
"Mank was the antithesis of Hollywood notoriety," a production insider told the ENQUIRER. " His non-party style and work ethic defied industry ‘standards’.
"But EVERYONE quotes his deftly-written dialog… incessantly."
first posted: 11:15 AM EDT
