John Meredyth Lucas

John Meredyth Lucas (May 1, 1919 – October 19, 2002) was an American writer, director and producer, primarily for television.

John Meredyth Lucas
Born(1919-05-01)May 1, 1919
Southern California, U.S.
DiedOctober 19, 2002(2002-10-19) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, U.S.
OccupationTelevision writer, director and producer
Parents

Career

Son of screenwriter Bess Meredyth and writer/director Wilfred Lucas, and the adopted son of director Michael Curtiz,[1] Lucas grew up in Southern California, where he attended a number of schools, including Urban Military Academy, Southwestern Military Academy, Pacific Military Academy, and Beverly Hills High School. After a failed attempt at college, he began his Hollywood career with a job as an apprentice script clerk at Warner Brothers.[2]

He is best remembered for the work he did on Star Trek as a writer, producer and director. He wrote four episodes for the Star Trek series broadcast from 1967 to 1969, "The Changeling", "Patterns of Force", "Elaan of Troyius", and "That Which Survives". He also directed the 1968 Star Trek episodes "The Ultimate Computer", "The Enterprise Incident" and "Elaan of Troyius". The last episode was the only one in the original series to be directed by its writer. Lucas was also credited as producer for the latter part of the second season (1967–1968).

He also wrote for Mannix, The Fugitive, The Silent Force, Harry O (David Janssen's 1970s series),The Six Million Dollar Man, and the television adaptations of Planet of the Apes and Logan's Run. Dark City (1950) and Peking Express (1951) were among his feature film writing credits.[3] During 1959–1960 he worked in Australia on the TV series Whiplash, directing numerous episodes of the series (several of which were written by later Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry).

In 1951 he married Australian born actress Joan Winfield. Together they raised three children. After her death in 1978, he remarried. He died in Los Angeles on 19 October 2002 from a leukemia.[4][5] After his death in 2002, he was cremated and his ashes were later launched into space on a suborbital flight in 2007.[6] They were subsequently launched on an orbital flight on August 2, 2008, however the rocket failed two minutes after launch.[7]

Star Trek episode credits

Filmography

Films
YearFilmCreditNotes
1943 The Gorilla Man Dialogue Director
Murder on the Waterfront Dialogue Director
This Is the Army Second Assistant Director Uncredited
1944 The Last Ride Dialogue Director
1947 The Unsuspected Dialogue Director
1950 Dark City Screenplay By Co-wrote screenplay with "Larry Marcus", Based on the story "No Escape" by Larry Marcus
1951 Peking Express Screenplay By
Red Mountain Screenplay By
1952 Captain Pirate Screenplay By Co-wrote screenplay with "Frank Burt" and "Robert Libott", Based on the novel "Captain Blood Returns" by "Rafael Sabatini"
1953 Tumbleweed Screenplay By Based on the novel "Three Were Thoroughbreds" by "Kenneth Perkins"
1956 The Scarlet Hour Screenplay By Co-wrote screenplay with "Alford Van Ronkel" and "Frank Tashlin", Based on the story "The Kiss Off" by Frank Tashlin
1958 The Sign Of Zorro Screenplay By
1961 The Last War Screenplay By English Dub (Uncredited)
1962 Gorath Screenplay By English Dub
1965 My Blood Runs Cold Story By
1971 City Beneath The Sea Screenplay By Based on a story by "Irwin Allen"
1974 Inferno in Paradise" Screenplay By
1980 Farewell to the Planet of the Apes Directed By
1984 Yeshua Written By, Directed By Documentary, Co-Written and Co-Directed with "Ardon Albright"
3 Days Directed By Short
1989 The Magic Boy's Easter Directed By Short, Co-Directed with "Marc Daniels"

Television
YearTV SeriesCreditNotes
1953 Mr. and Mrs. North Writer 2 Episodes
1954-55 The Loretta Young Show Writer 3 Episodes
The Magical World of Disney Writer 2 Episodes
Medic Writer, Director
1955 Stage 7 Writer 1 Episode: "The Legacy"
1955-56 Cavalcade of America Writer, Director
The Ford Television Theatre Director 6 Episodes
1956 Celebrity Playhouse Director 2 Episodes
1956-57 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Director 3 Episodes
1957 Broken Arrow Writer 1 Episode: "Apache Massacre"
Noah's Ark Writer 1 Episode: "The Intruder"
Dragnet Writer 1 Episode: "The Big Blank"
Code 3 Director 1 Episode: "Oil Well Incident"
The George Sanders Mystery Theater Director 1 Episode: "Love Has No Alibi"
The Court of Last Resort Director 1 Episode: "The Gordon Wallace Case"
The Thin Man Director 1 Episode: "Come Back Darling Asta"
1957-58 Zorro Writer, Director
1958 Flight Writer 3 Episodes
1959 Cimarron City Writer, Director
1959-61 The Lawless Years Writer 4 Episodes
1960 Pony Express Writer 2 Episodes
1961 Acapulco Director 1 Episode: "Bell's Half Acre"
Bus Stop Writer 1 Episode: "The Covering Darkness"
Whiplash Director, Associate Producer
1963 Burke's Law Writer 2 Episodes
Laramie Writer 1 Episode: "The Sometime Gambler"
1964-66 Ben Casey Writer, Director, Producer
1965-80 Insight Writer, Director, Producer, Script Consultant Multiple Episodes
1966-67 The Fugitive Writer, Director, Co-Producer
1967 The Invaders Director 1 Episode: "The Betrayed"
1967-69 Star Trek: The Original Series Writer, Director, Producer
1967-74 Mannix Writer, Director
1970 The Silent Force Writer 1 Episode: "Take As Directed For Death"
1970-72 Night Gallery Director 4 Episodes
1971 Medical Center Writer 2 Episodes
1971-75 Police Surgeon Director Multiple Episodes
1973 The Starlost Writer 1 Episode: "The Implant People"(Uncredited)
1974 Planet of the Apes Director 1 Episode: "Up Above the World So High"
1975 Swiss Family Robinson Writer 2 Episodes
1975-76 Harry O Writer 5 Episodes
1976-78 The Six Million Dollar Man Writer, Director
1977 Kojak Writer 1 Episode: "Tears for All Who Love Her"
Logan's Run Writer 1 Episode: "The Judas Goat"
Rafferty Writer 2 Episodes
1978 Fantasy Island Writer 1 Episode
1980 Beyond Westworld Producer 5 Episodes
This Is The Life Director 1 Episode: "Independence and '76"
1981 Nero Wolfe Writer 1 Episode: "To Catch a Dead Man"

References
  1. Lentz III, Harris M. (April 9, 2013). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2002: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland Publishing. p. 185. ISBN 9780786414642.
  2. Lucas, John Meredyth (April 20, 2004). Eighty Odd Years in Hollywood. McFarland Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 0-7864-1838-9.
  3. "Writer/Director John Meredyth Lucas Remembered". StarTrek.com. Paramount Pictures. October 29, 2002. Archived from the original on August 13, 2004. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  4. Oliver, Myrna (October 29, 2002). "John Lucas, 83; Writer, Director for 1950s-'70s TV Shows". LA Times. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  5. Martin, Denise (November 6, 2002). "John Meredyth Lucas". Variety.com. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  6. "Doohan Memorial Spaceflight: A Full Report". StarTrek.com. CBS Studios Inc. May 14, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  7. Bergin, Chris (August 2, 2008). "SpaceX Falcon I fails during first stage flight". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
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