Born February 3, 1936, in Paris, AR; died of cancer, June 6, 1993, in Los Angeles, CA. Director, writer, and actor. After spending several years in frontof the camera as a bit-part actor in the 1950s, Bridges became involved in writing scripts for such television shows as Alfred Hitchcock Presents. One ofthe episodes that he wrote for the series, "Unlocked Window," earned him an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. Bridges later gained recognition as a director and screenwriter of feature films, which were notable in their capacity to entertain as well as to provide social commentary. His skillas a director caught the attention of playwright Tennessee Williams, who chose Bridges to direct the twenty-fifth anniversary stage revival of Williams'splay A Streetcar Named Desire. In 1973 Bridges adapted John Jay Osborn, Jr.'snovel The Paper Chase for the screen. The resulting film, which focused on alaw student's struggle to succeed at Harvard, became the inspiration for a popular television series and also earned Bridges the first of two Academy Award nominations for screenwriting. He won his second nomination for work on the 1979 film The China Syndrome, which focuses on a narrowly averted meltdownat a nuclear power plant. Bridges also wrote or collaborated with others on such films as Mike's Murder, Urban Cowboy, and Perfect.
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