Paul Playdon Spyfi writer dies
The Spy Command
May 13, 2023
Paul Playdon (1943-2023), when he was a child actor, in a memorable episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1957, The Glass Eye with Jessica Tandy.
Paul Playdon, who began his show business career as a child actor, then transitioned to being a television writer-producer, has died at 80.
His death was reported on Facebook by a friend, Danny Biderman in a detailed post. Biederman has an extensive collection of props from various examples of spy entertainment.
Playdon, born in the U.K., had been a child actor appearing in Alfred Hitchcock Presents, in the 1957 episode The Glass Eye. Other performers in the episode included Jessica Tandy and William Shatner.
Playdon moved to being a writer-producer. His work covered a number of television series, including Hawaii Five-O, Cannon, The Wild Wild West and The Magician.
Perhaps his biggest television impact was on the original Mission: Impossible series. He was brought on as story editor after ace M:I writer-producers William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter exited the show after a dispute with creator-executive producer Bruce Geller.
Playdon, with his story editor hat, had to revise scripts. His M:I input as writer also included a two-part story as well as the show’s only three-part story. Bits of both adventures showed up in the 2011 Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol movie.
PLAYDON, Paul (Paul Christopher Playdon)
Born: 1/14/1943, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
England, U.K.
Died: 5/12/2023, Silicon Beach, California, U.S.A.
Paul Playdon’s westerns – actor: writer:
Sergeant Preston of the Yukom (TV) – 1958 (Tommy Smith)
Daniel Boone (TV) 1967, 1958 [writer]
Lancer (TV) 1968 [writer]
Do you have any info re burial? I know his father is buried at Forest Lawn, Glendale
ReplyDeleteI can find no information on line. You may want to contact his friend Danny Biederman who first posted his passing on Facebook. He may have further information.
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