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LOS ANGELES, Feb 24, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Veteran TV and film writer Denne Bart Petitclerc, who was a close friend of author Ernest Hemingway, has died in Los Angeles at age 76.
The creator of TV's "Then Came Bronson," died Feb. 3 at the UCLA Medical Center from lung cancer, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
Petitclerc was a reporter at the Miami Herald when he wrote a letter to Hemingway, expressing his anger about a scathing review of the author's works, the Times said. Hemingway answered his letter, the two became close friends and Petitclerc eventually wrote the film adaptation of "Islands in the Stream."
Petitclerc was working at the San Francisco Chronicle when he wrote his first TV script, for "Bonanza," and was hired by the long-running NBC series. In addition to "Then Came Bronson," which ran on NBC from 1969-1970, Petitclerc wrote the pilot and other episodes for "The High Chaparral," which ran from 1967-1971.
He co-wrote the 1981 novel "Destinies" as well as "Rage of Honor" in 1966 and the 1971 "Le Mans 24." He also wrote several TV movies and the screenplay for the 1972 feature film "Red Sun" with Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune.
His last screenplay, "Papa," was an autobiographical work in pre-production at the time of his death, the Times said.
Petitclerc is survived by his wife of 35 years, three daughters, two sons, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
