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Described by his peers as brilliant, eccentric, and occasionally reclusive, Jack Laird was a technical genius. A prolific and versatile writer, he engaged in all facets of the performing arts throughout his career.
Born and raised in a small California town on May 8, 1923, Laird's show business journey began early when a film company visited his city and cast him and his family in a silent film. From that moment, he was captivated by the entertainment industry.
While attending Pasadena Junior College, he formed a dance band comprising musicians who would later join the ranks of Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Les Brown. The group disbanded when Laird enlisted in the Army Air Force during World War II. He served as a pilot in the Ninth Air Force and was stationed in Manchester, England, with the First Allied Airborne.
After his military service, Laird settled in New York, enrolling at the Dramatic Workshop and studying playwriting under John Gassner. During lean times, he worked on Broadway and as a staff artist for the New York Times. Returning to Hollywood, he acted in various theater, film, television, and radio roles, while simultaneously writing and selling scripts for radio and the growing television industry. His writing credits included "Racket Squad," "Fireside Theatre," "Kraft Theatre," "Ford Theatre," "Waterfront," "Private Secretary," "Mr. District Attorney," "China Smith," "The Lone Ranger," "M Squad," "The Millionaire," "The Ann Sothern Show," and "Have Gun, Will Travel," among many other popular shows of the era.
In the 1960s, Laird distinguished himself as a writer and story editor for the medical drama "Ben Casey," eventually becoming an associate producer under Matthew Rapf and James Moser. He earned an Emmy nomination in 1962 for the "Ben Casey" episode "I Remember a Lemon Tree." In 1963, he declined a full producer position on the show to pursue opportunities writing and producing various film and television projects for Universal Studios.
During the 1970s, Laird emerged as a writer, director, and producer, working on the crime drama series "The Bold Ones: The Protectors," starring Leslie Nielsen and Hari Rhodes, "The Psychiatrist," starring Roy Thinnes, and most notably "Night Gallery," where he served as writer, producer, actor, and director.
Laird dedicated immense effort to every element of "Night Gallery," including casting, set and costume design, music scoring, editing, and spending countless hours perfecting scripts. He was known for his frequent clashes with show creator Rod Serling over the show's direction.
Following "Night Gallery," Laird contributed as a writer and producer to the crime drama "Kojak," starring Telly Savalas, throughout its run. He also worked on "Doctors' Hospital," a medical drama starring George Peppard, and the detective series "Switch," featuring Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert.
Throughout his career, Laird was renowned for providing career opportunities to emerging and established talent, including Sydney Pollack, Mark Rydell, Steven Spielberg, John Badham, Gil Mellé, Jeannot Szwarc, Diane Keaton, and others. He also gave Leonard Nimoy his first directing opportunity on a third-season "Night Gallery" episode titled "Death on a Barge."
Beyond his professional life, Laird had a deep passion for the arts, cinema, and music. A jazz enthusiast and cinephile, he collected hundreds of rare and vintage films, preserving cinematic history.
Though his career slowed in the 1980s, Laird continued working as a writer and executive producer on "Hellinger's Law," a 1981 TV movie starring Telly Savalas. He produced "The Gangster Chronicles," a crime drama about Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky, and wrote for series such as "Whiz Kids," "Hell Town," and "The Insiders."
In 1990, Laird's final production credits included two "Kojak" TV movies, "It's Always Something" and "None So Blind," as well as the made-for-television film "The Bride in Black," for which he received co-writing credit.
Jack Laird passed away on December 3, 1991, at the age of 68.
