David Dortort

{{short description|American screenwriter}}

{{Infobox person

| name = David Dortort

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birthname =David Solomon Katz

| birth_date = {{birth date|1916|10|23|mf=y}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| death_date ={{death date and age|2010|9|5|1916|10|23}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| occupation = Writer; Television producer

| yearsactive = 1957–2001

| spouse = {{marriage|Rose Seldin|1940|2007|end=d}}

| children = 2

| alma_mater=City College of New York, 1936}}

David Dortort (born David Solomon Katz; October 23, 1916 – September 5, 2010){{cite news|title=David Dortort dies at 93; created and produced TV western 'Bonanza'|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-david-dortort-20100908,0,50733.story|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 8, 2010|first=Elaine|last=Woo|accessdate=2010-09-22}} was a Hollywood screenwriter and producer, widely known for his role as producer in two successful NBC television series: Bonanza (1959–73) and The High Chaparral (1967–71). Dortort's focus shifted in the late 1960s to the newer series, leaving the production of Bonanza largely to his associates during its last five and a half years (1967–1973).

From 1954–55, Dortort was involved in directing and writing for The Public Defender. He produced The Restless Gun (1957–59), The Cowboys television version (1974), and a prequel series featuring younger versions of the Bonanza characters called Ponderosa (2001), which was produced with Beth Sullivan. In 1979–1980, he created the 13-week CBS miniseries, The Chisholms. Michael Landon appeared in a supporting role in the pilot for The Restless Gun, starring John Payne, aired on March 19, 1957, as an episode of The Schlitz Playhouse of Stars and Dan Blocker played multiple roles in five episodes of The Restless Gun.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0088779/|title=Dan Blocker - IMDb|date=n.d.|website=IMDb|publisher=n.p.|access-date=2 October 2016}}

Alan W. Livingston of NBC hired Dortort to write the screenplay for the pilot episode of Bonanza.{{cite news|first=Bruce|last=Weber|title=Alan W. Livingston, Talent Spotter Who Signed Beatles, Dies at 91|newspaper=New York Times|page=A25|date=March 16, 2009}} He did it at night, while producing The Restless Gun by day.{{cite news|title=Autry National Center salutes 'Bonanza' Sunday|first=Susan|last=King|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bonanza19-2009sep19,0,3885221.story|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 19, 2009|accessdate=September 21, 2009}}

In 2001, the alumni association of City College of New York, where he had studied history, honored him with its John H. Finley award.{{cite news|first=Karen W.|last=Arenson|title=BULLETIN BOARD; City College Alumni Group Will Bestow Honors|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/03/nyregion/bulletin-board-city-college-alumni-group-will-bestow-honors.html|newspaper=New York Times|page=A19|date=October 3, 2001|accessdate=September 24, 2009}}

Personal life

A native of New York City, Dortort was married for 67 years to the former Rose Seldin, who died September 30, 2007, at age 92. They had two children, Wendy Dortort Czarnecki and Fred Dortort.

Death

Dortort died in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles, California, on September 5, 2010, a month and a half before his 94th birthday, following a history of heart disease.{{cite news|title=David Dortort, 'Bonanza' Creator, Dies at 93|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/arts/television/09dortort.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=david%20dortort&st=cse|first=Bruce|last=Weber|date=September 9, 2010|work=New York Times|accessdate=2010-09-22|page=A28}}

Writings

Dortort published two books, Burial of the Fruit in 1947{{cite book|last=Dortort|first=David|title=Burial of the Fruit|year=1947|publisher=Crown Publishers|location=New York|lccn=47000360}} and The Post of Honor in 1949.{{cite book|last=Dortort|first=David|title=The Post of Honor|year=1949|publisher=Whittlesey House|location=New York|lccn=49007923}}

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable"
YearFilmCreditNotes
1952

|The Lusty Men

|Screenplay By

|Based on the novel "King of the Cowpokes" by "Claude Stanush"

rowspan=2|1956

|A Cry In The Night

|Screenplay By

|Based on the novel "All Through the Night" by "Whit Masterson"

Reprisal!

|Screenplay By

|

1957

|The Big Land

|Screenplay By

|Based on the novel "Buffalo Grass" by "Frank Gruber"

1958

|A Gift for Heidi

|Screenplay By

|

1987

|Going Bananas

|Executive Producer

1988

|Bonanza: The Next Generation

|Produced By

|Television Movie

1993

|Bonanza: The Return

|Story By, Executive Producer

|Television Movie

1995

|Bonanza: Under Attack

|Executive Producer

|Television Movie

= Television =

class="wikitable"
YearTV SeriesCreditNotes
1952

|Cavalcade of America

|Writer

|2 episodes

1952-54

|Fireside Theatre

|Writer

|5 episodes

1953

|Racket Squad

|Writer

|1 Episode

1954

|Climax!

|Writer

|1 Episode

rowspan=2|1954-55

|Public Defender

|Writer

|3 episodes

Waterfront

|Writer

|8 episodes

rowspan=2|1955

|TV Reader's Digest

|Writer

|1 Episode

The 20th Century Fox Hour

|Writer

|1 Episode

rowspan=2|1956

|Screen Directors Playhouse

|Writer

|1 Episode

Lassie

|Writer

|1 Episode

1956-57

|Studio 57

|Writer

|2 episodes

1957

|Panic!

|Writer

|1 Episode

1957-59

|The Restless Gun

|Writer, producer

|77 episodes

1959-73

|Bonanza

|Writer, Creator, Producer, Executive Producer

|Multiple Episodes

1967-71

|The High Chaparral

|Writer, Creator, Producer, Executive Producer

|Multiple Episodes

1974

|The Cowboys

|Producer

|

1979-80

|The Chisholms

|Writer, Creator, Executive Producer

|14 episodes

2001-02

|Ponderosa

|Producer

|

References

{{reflist}}