Biographie
Jesse Lasky Jr. was born during Hollywood's golden era. As the son of the man who produced the film industry's first feature in a barn, he grew up among the era's most renowned stars, writers, and musicians of the 1920s. After studying at Dijon University in France, he returned to Hollywood only to face his father's financial ruin following a stock market collapse. Having published his first poetry collection, Songs from the Heart of a Boy, at nineteen, Jesse had always aspired to be a writer. He started as a lowly reader and briefly dated Jean Harlow. Eventually, he became a screenwriter, contributing to over 60 films for famous directors such as Hitchcock, Sam Fuller, and Cecil B. De Mille—his father Jesse Sr.'s former partner. Among his notable works with De Mille was The Ten Commandments (1956). In the 1960s, he moved to London and, with his wife Pat Silver, penned many iconic British TV series including The Saint, Danger Man, The Prisoner, Space 1999, The Persuaders, and The Baron. Their collaboration on the first series of Chandlertown, a Philip Marlowe teleplay starring Powers Booth, is regarded as a classic among mystery enthusiasts. His produced plays include Ghost Town, Love Scene, and The Vicious Circle. His books feature titles like Spindrift, Naked in a Cactus Garden, The Offer, and his candid and humorous autobiography, Whatever Happened to Hollywood?.
