Daily Star Trek News

View Original

Star Trek: The Motion Picture screenwriter Harold Livingston has died at 97

Star Trek: The Motion Picture poster art

APRIL 28, 2022 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture screenwriter Harold Livingston has passed away. His death was confirmed by his nephew Robert Livingston and reported by Variety. He was 97.

Arguably his greatest work as a screenwriter, Livingston penned the screenplay for The Motion Picture alongside science fiction author Alan Dean Foster and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Art Direction, and Best Visual Effects.

Before turning to the world of entertainment, Livingston served as a radio operator for the U.S. Army Air Force. During the Israeli War of Independence in the late 1940s, Livingston flew munitions to Palestine in secret, as Jews in Mandatory Palestine were not allowed to purchase military equipment. Livingston went on to become one of the first members of the Israeli Air Force.

In the 1960s, Harold Livingston turned his attention toward writing. He wrote for numerous series throughout the decade and into the 1970s, penning episodes for shows like Mission: Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man, Barbary Coast, and Future Cop. In addition to writing for the screen, Livingston also authored several novels, including The Detroiters, Touch the Sky, and To Die in Babylon.

Harold Livingston is survived by his daughters Leah Livingston Hopkins and Eve Livingston, his son, David Livingston, and his nephew Robert.