Reginald Rose

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Early Life and Military Service

Reginald Rose entered the world on December 10, 1920, in the bustling heart of New York City. Born to William, a man of law, and Alice (née Obendorfer) Rose, he began his academic journey at City College, now part of the City University of New York, from 1937 to 1938. However, he left without a degree. When the shadows of World War II loomed large, Rose answered the call of duty, serving in the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1946, finishing his military stint as a first lieutenant. In the midst of this tumultuous time, 1943 saw him marry Barbara Langbart, and together they raised four children.

Career Beginnings and Breakthrough

As the echoes of war faded, Rose embarked on a multifaceted career throughout the late 1940s and into the early 1950s. He wore many hats: clerk, Warner Brothers publicity writer, and advertising copywriter. Despite his forays into short stories and novels, success eluded him until he ventured into television drama. His fortunes changed when CBS purchased his debut script, The Bus to Nowhere, which aired live in 1951. This success secured him a spot as a regular contributor to CBS's Studio One, a platform for live drama. Noteworthy plays from his pen in 1954 included Dino, The Death and Life of Larry Benson, The Remarkable Incident at Carson Corners, and Thunder on Sycamore Street. That same pivotal year, he crafted Twelve Angry Men, a play inspired by his own jury duty experience, earning acclaim and awards such as an Emmy and a Writer's Guild of America Award. The script found a home in his collection, Six Television Plays, in 1956.

The Journey of "Twelve Angry Men"

In 1955, Twelve Angry Men evolved into a stage play and soon reached the silver screen in 1957, with Henry Fonda both starring and coproducing alongside Rose. The film achieved significant recognition, earning Oscar nods for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and clinched an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay from the Mystery Writers of America.

Television Mastery and Stage Plays

Rose's prolific writing for television continued through the 1960s and beyond. Among his celebrated works was the series The Defenders (1961–1965), spotlighting the dynamic between a father and son duo of defense lawyers. His rich portfolio also included projects like A Quiet Game of Cards (1959), the Studs Lonigan miniseries (1979), Escape from Sobibor (1987), plus television adaptations of Twelve Angry Men and The Defenders: Taking the First in the 1990s.

Expanding Horizons and Personal Life

Rose ventured into the domain of stage plays with five productions, including Black Monday in 1962 and This Agony, This Triumph in 1972. He also revisited Twelve Angry Men with rewrites in 1960, 1964, and 1996. Beyond this iconic piece, he penned eleven other screenplays, such as Somebody Killed Her Husband (1978), The Wild Geese (1978), based on Daniel Carney's novel, and Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981), featuring Richard Dreyfuss.

His first marriage ended in divorce, and in 1963, Rose found love anew with Ellen McLaughlin, with whom he had two more children. Reginald Rose's journey concluded on April 19, 2002, in Norwalk, Connecticut, leaving a legacy of compelling narratives and dramatic genius.

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