Sidney Sheldon

Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer. He was prominent in the 1940s and 50s, first working on Broadway plays, and then in motion pictures, notably writing the successful comedy The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), which earned him an Oscar in 1948. He went on to work in television, where over 20 years he created The Patty Duke Show (1963–66), I Dream of Jeannie (1965–70), and Hart to Hart (1979–84). After turning 50, he began writing best-selling romantic suspense novels, such as The Other Side of Midnight (1973), Master of the Game (1982), and Rage of Angels (1980). Sheldon's novels have sold over 300 million copies in 51 languages. He is consistently cited as one of the top 10 best-selling fiction writers of all time.