Ira Levin Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Early Years and Education

Ira Marvin Levin was born 27th August 1929, in New York City, New York, in the United States.

Levin attended Horace Mann School situated in New York and then enrolled in Drake University in 1946, based in Iowa. He left Drake in 1948 and went to New York University. He graduated in 1950, after studying English and philosophy.

In 1953, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Signal Corps division. He was discharged in 1955.

Career

Ira Levin started his writing career in radio and television as a scriptwriter in 1951. He released his first novel, A Kiss Before Dying, in 1953.

His first stage production was No Time for Sergeants in 1956. It was so successful it was adapted into a movie two years later, and six years after that was filmed as a comedy series for television.

Levin has written some very well-known books that were turned into highly successful movies.

Ira Levin has released seven novels, including, Rosemary’s Baby (1967), The Stepford Wives (1972), and The Boys from Brazil (1976).

Levin wrote nine stage productions, including the hugely successful No Time for Sergeants (1956), Deathtrap (1978), and Cantorial (1982). Deathtrap is a comedy-thriller, and it holds the record on Broadway for the longest running production in its genre.

There have been 11 film adaptations of Levin’s work. A Kiss Before Dying and The Stepford Wives have each been adapted twice.

Awards and Honors

Ira Levin has won several Edgar Awards for his work.

Personal

In 1960, Ira Levin married Gabrielle Aronsohn, and the couple had three children. They divorced in 1968. He then married Phyllis Sugarman in 1979, but they divorced in 1981.

Levin died on 12th November 2007 from a heart attack.