Sidney Sheldon Dead at 89

Posted on January 31, 2007

Bestselling author Sidney Sheldon is dead at the age of 89.

Sidney Sheldon had a prolific and award-winning career writing for theater, movies and television, but he often proclaimed his greatest love for another creative outlet. "Writing novels is the most fun I've ever had," Sheldon once said. The best-selling author died Tuesday at 89 at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage of complications from pneumonia. His wife, Alexandra, was by his side. "I try to write my books so the reader can't put them down," Sheldon explained in a 1982 interview. "I try to construct them so when the reader gets to the end of a chapter, he or she has to read just one more chapter. It's the technique of the old Saturday afternoon serial: Leave the guy hanging on the edge of the cliff at the end of the chapter." Sheldon mostly wrote about stalwart women who triumph in a hostile world of ruthless men. His notable novels included "Rage of Angels," "The Other Side of Midnight," and "If Tomorrow Comes." "I like to write about women who are talented and capable, but most important, retain their femininity," he said. "Women have tremendous power - their femininity, because men can't do without it." Several of his novels became television miniseries, often with the author as producer.
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Though he won a Tony, an Oscar and an Emmy (for "I Dream of Jeannie") during his career, Sheldon said he derived the most satisfaction from writing his novels. "I love writing books," he said. "When you do a novel you're on your own. It's a freedom that doesn't exist in any other medium."

Sidney Sheldon was amazing: he created hit shows such as The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie, and Hart to Hart, as well as writing bestselling novels. Things were certainly different in television then: he wrote almost every episode of The Patty Duke Show for seven years. That has to be some kind of record. Nowadays, a team of writers work on a hit tv show and it's not uncommon for new writers to be brought in over the course of several seasons. But Sidney Sheldon had an amazing work ethic and he loved to write his incredibly popular potboilers. This is one man who really knew what the public wanted. Oh, and don't try to pretend you didn't read The Other Side of Midnight: because we know you did.

The L.A. Times has a full obituary here.