Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Peter Viertel

Peter Viertel (November 16, 1920 – November 4, 2007) was a German-born American author, screenwriter, and World War II veteran renowned for his novels and film contributions that drew from his experiences in Hollywood and among literary elites. Born in Dresden, Germany, to the Austrian poet, playwright, and director Berthold Viertel and Polish-born actress and writer Salka Viertel, Peter Viertel moved with his family to Santa Monica, California, in 1926 at the age of six, immersing himself in the émigré intellectual circles of Hollywood that included figures like Thomas Mann, Bertolt Brecht, and Charlie Chaplin through his mother's famous salons. He attended Dartmouth College and the University of California before publishing his debut novel, The Canyon, in 1940 at age 19, which received critical acclaim for its depiction of youthful disillusionment. During , Viertel served as a U.S. in the South Pacific and later joined the in , experiences that informed his later writings on war and adventure. Transitioning to , he became a prolific , co-writing Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942) and officially credited scripts for John Huston's The African Queen (1951), Beat the Devil (1953), and the adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's (1957), among at least 12 films that showcased his talent for taut dialogue and exotic settings. Viertel's literary career flourished with novels such as (1953), a thinly veiled critique of Huston based on their collaboration in , which was later adapted into a 1990 film directed by ; Love Lies Bleeding (1964), a set in circles; and his Dangerous Friends (1992), which chronicled his close friendships with Hemingway and Huston. In 1956, while on location for a film in the South of , he introduced to , popularizing the sport among locals and celebrities. On a personal note, Viertel was first married to actress Virginia "Jigee" Ray in the 1940s, with whom he had a daughter, ; the ended in amid complications involving Hemingway, and Ray died in 1960. He wed British actress on July 23, 1960, in , , becoming stepfather to her two daughters from her previous ; the couple remained devoted for 47 years, dividing their time between and until Kerr's death from on October 16, 2007. Viertel himself passed away less than three weeks later in , , at age 86, leaving a legacy as a bridge between intelligentsia and mid-20th-century American entertainment.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Childhood

Peter Viertel was born on November 16, 1920, in , , to Jewish parents Berthold Viertel, an Austrian poet, dramatist, and theater director, and (née Salomea Sara Steuermann), a Polish-born actress who later became a . The family was part of the assimilated Jewish intelligentsia of , with Berthold contributing to theater productions in and , including collaborations with figures like , while Salka performed in prominent roles across stages in , , and beyond. Viertel was the middle of three sons, with older brother Hans (born c. 1918), who worked as a , and younger brother Thomas (born August 7, 1925), who worked in industry as a story analyst. The Viertels' home life reflected their deep immersion in the arts, as Salka often managed the household while Berthold traveled for directing work in cities like and , exposing the children to a cosmopolitan circle of writers, artists, and performers. Peter's early childhood unfolded amid the cultural vibrancy of , initially in where his father held a theater position, and later in , where the family socialized with intellectuals such as and during occasional dinners. This period offered rich artistic influences, including encounters with poets like and , as well as dramatists like , fostering an environment of creative stimulation for the young Viertel. However, as Jews in a time of political upheaval, the family navigated the economic instability of post-World War I Weimar Germany, marked by and hunger, alongside the emerging threats of and the rise of in the early 1930s, which heightened their sense of vulnerability.

Emigration and Early Influences

In 1928, the Viertel family emigrated from to the when Peter was eight years old, prompted by Berthold Viertel's three-year contract with 20th Century Fox to write and direct films. The family sailed from to on February 22, arriving amid a personal that necessitated the move, though they initially planned a temporary stay. Upon arrival, found New York alien and disorienting, with language barriers exacerbating the challenges of adaptation in an unfamiliar environment. The family settled in , at 165 Mabery Road after Salka lobbied the studio for suitable housing, marking the beginning of their long-term residence there despite initial financial strains that led Salka to take up to support the household. As part of Hollywood's growing expatriate community of European artists, the Viertels integrated into a vibrant cultural scene; Salka soon hosted renowned Sunday salons at their home, attended by intellectuals and creatives such as , , and , fostering discussions that bridged traditions with opportunities. These gatherings, which gained prominence in amid the influx of exiles fleeing Nazi persecution, provided a supportive network as the family's temporary visit extended indefinitely due to the rising threats in . Peter's early years in the United States were shaped by this immersive environment, where he quickly adapted to American life, embracing Californian culture while navigating the transition from to English. Exposed from a young age to the glamour and workings of the film industry through his parents' professions—Berthold's directing assignments and Salka's collaborations on screenplays for —Peter observed the creative vibrancy of sets and the milieu surrounding their home. This pre-teen period of cultural immersion, amid the circle's intellectual exchanges, laid foundational influences that echoed his parents' European artistic roots while igniting his affinity for storytelling and cinema.

Academic Pursuits

Upon arriving in the United States as a teenager, Peter Viertel attended University High School in , , where he graduated in the class of 1937. This period marked his immersion into American youth culture amid the vibrant, film-saturated environment of 1930s , influenced by his family's connections in the entertainment industry. Viertel enrolled at in 1937 as part of the class of 1941, where he pursued his early interests in writing and literature. During his time there, he published his debut novel, , in 1940 at the age of 19, drawing from personal experiences in the Santa Monica hills and reflecting his budding exposure to American literary traditions. The work received positive reviews and showcased his nascent storytelling abilities, honed through college encounters with peers and the broader intellectual climate of the institution. As global tensions escalated leading into , Viertel graduated from in 1941, bridging his academic foundation to subsequent professional endeavors in writing. He also briefly attended the , further enriching his literary pursuits before transitioning to early adulthood opportunities in , including part-time roles connected to script development.

Professional Career

Screenwriting and Film Contributions

After graduating from high school in the United States, Peter Viertel entered the film industry in , where he began his career with uncredited contributions to Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942), a involving a cross-country pursuit by a wrongly accused man, and Vincent Sherman's melodrama (1943), starring as an aspiring actress manipulating her sister's career. These early works, completed when Viertel was in his early twenties, showcased his emerging talent for taut dialogue and narrative tension, though formal credits were limited due to his novice status. During , Viertel served as a in the U.S. Marine Corps before transferring to the , the precursor to the CIA, leveraging his fluency in for operations in . In this role, he drew on his language skills to assess German POWs and support covert missions, including the recruitment of agents for short parachute insertions behind enemy lines that provided tactical on troop movements. His OSS experiences, particularly in assessing potential spies and coordinating espionage in , later informed his postwar screenplays, emphasizing moral complexities in wartime settings. Following the war, Viertel resumed his Hollywood career with credited work on Decision Before Dawn (1951), directed by , a tense drama about German POWs turned Allied spies in postwar that earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He also served as an uncredited on Huston's The African Queen (1951), refining dialogue from James Agee's incomplete draft during on-location filming in , an intense collaboration that tested Viertel's patience amid Huston's obsession with elephant hunting over production deadlines. In the 1950s and 1960s, Viertel adapted literary works for the screen, including co-writing We Were Strangers (1949) with Huston, a revolutionary Cuba-set adventure starring John Garfield, and contributions to Huston's Moulin Rouge (1952), a biographical film on Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec starring José Ferrer. He penned the screenplay for The Sun Also Rises (1957), Henry King's adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel about expatriates in 1920s Europe, featuring Tyrone Power and Ava Gardner, and later adapted Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea (1958) for Spencer Tracy's portrayal of the aging fisherman's epic struggle. These projects deepened his professional ties to Hemingway, whom he first met in 1948 in Idaho and later joined on fishing trips in Cuba, where discussions of film adaptations blended literary insight with Hollywood pragmatism. Viertel's collaborations with Huston extended to Beat the Devil (1953), a satirical adventure co-written on set with , highlighting his adaptability in fast-paced, improvisational environments. Over his career, he contributed to a total of 12 films in varying capacities, from full screenplays to uncredited revisions, often navigating the egos of larger-than-life directors like Huston, whose demanding style and philosophical debates on art versus commerce profoundly shaped Viertel's views on . In his later years, Viertel co-wrote the screenplay for (1990), Clint Eastwood's adaptation of his own 1953 novel inspired by the African Queen shoot, with portraying a character based on Viertel himself.

Literary Works

Peter Viertel's literary career began with his debut novel, , published in 1940 when he was just 19 years old. This semi-autobiographical work explores the experiences of a group of adolescents on the coast, focusing on one boy's uneasy hesitation before the trials of manhood, rendered with notable grace and maturity for a young author. Following his service in , Viertel released Line of Departure in 1947, a novel infused with themes drawn from his own military experiences. The story delves into the psychological and physical toll of combat on soldiers, reflecting the post-war disillusionment prevalent in mid-20th-century literature. Viertel's most renowned work, (1953), stands as a seminal fictionalizing his time as a on the set of The African Queen under director , portrayed thinly disguised as the volatile character John Wilson. The narrative examines themes of artistic obsession, the clash between creative ambition and personal recklessness, and the destructive allure of big-game hunting in colonial , culminating in a meditation on friendship strained by ego and moral compromise. Critics praised its biting portrayal of Hollywood's excesses and interpersonal dynamics, contributing to its adaptation into a 1990 film directed by . In his later novels, Viertel continued to weave elements of adventure and expatriate life into thrillers and character-driven stories. Love Lies Bleeding (1964) follows the rise and fall of a bullfighter, blending romance, danger, and the cultural rituals of against a backdrop of passion and betrayal in . Bicycle on the Beach (1971) evokes a reminiscence of lost love set amid rising political tensions, capturing the nostalgic pull of past relationships in a European locale. American Skin (1984) addresses contemporary issues through a Hemingwayesque lens, exploring identity, alienation, and societal critique in a taut . His final novel, Loser Deals (1995), centers on financial intrigue involving a retired navigating relationships and tempests in and , underscoring the inescapable costs of ambition and chance in life. Viertel's 1992 memoir, Dangerous Friends (1992), chronicles his close-knit relationships with , , , and other Hollywood expatriates, offering candid insights into their creative collaborations, personal flaws, and larger-than-life personas during a tumultuous era. The book highlights mentorship dynamics, such as Huston's editorial advice on Viertel's manuscripts, and portrays these figures as flamboyant egoists capable of both selfishness and generosity. Reviewers noted its frankness and value as a revealing window into mid-century literary and cinematic circles. Across his oeuvre, Viertel's works recurrently explore themes of adventure, the expatriate's displacement, and a sharp critique of Hollywood's vanities, often informed by his peripatetic life between , , and the . His novels received solid but not overwhelming commercial success, with achieving the widest acclaim for its psychological depth and insider perspective; overall, critics appreciated his spare, masculine prose style reminiscent of Hemingway, though some later works were seen as uneven in execution.

Other Endeavors

Beyond his screenwriting and literary pursuits, Peter Viertel co-authored the play The Survivors with in 1948. The premiered on at the Playhouse Theatre in on January 19, 1948, running for just six performances before closing on January 24. The work was later adapted for television, first as an episode of the Studio One on March 13, 1950, and then as a movie in 1957. Viertel played a pivotal role in introducing to during the mid-1950s. While on location in , , for the 1957 film , he brought surfboards from and introduced the sport there in 1956, sparking local interest in the activity. This event helped popularize along the French Basque coast and extended its reach as Viertel promoted the activity in neighboring , where early enthusiasts adopted it shortly thereafter. In his later years, Viertel engaged in various adventure activities, notably skiing in the Swiss resort town of , where he maintained a long-term residence and frequently skied the challenging slopes, having been an avid participant since before . He also expressed support for environmental causes, opposing the in the late 1980s as a means to protect endangered elephants. Viertel occasionally contributed to films in non-writing capacities, providing on-location production assistance during shoots where he was involved but not credited as a screenwriter. At the time of his death in 2007, a documentary titled Peter Viertel – Between the Lines, directed by Michael Scheingraber, was in production; it drew on over 400 minutes of interviews with Viertel conducted earlier that year to explore his life and career.

Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Viertel married his first wife, Virginia Ray Viertel (known as "Jigee," née Schulberg and formerly married to writer ), on February 5, 1944. The couple had one daughter, Christine Viertel, born in 1952. Their marriage faced personal challenges, including Viertel's affair with French model , whom he left Jigee for while she was pregnant; it ended in a friendly in 1958 after years of estrangement and mutual infidelities. In 1960, Viertel married British actress on July 23 in , , a union that lasted until her death in 2007. The couple had no children together, but Kerr became to Viertel's daughter , while Viertel became to Kerr's two daughters from her previous marriage to Anthony Bartley—Melanie Jane (born 1947) and Francesca Ann (born 1951). The couple maintained residences in , , and , . In adulthood, Viertel maintained close ties with his family, including his brother Thomas Viertel, who survived him; his writings occasionally reflected on his émigré parents' influence, though he rarely delved deeply into personal family tributes.

Interests and Residences

Peter Viertel developed a lifelong passion for during his time in Europe, particularly in the Swiss resort of , where he learned the sport in the late 1940s and frequently enjoyed its challenging runs, such as the one from Weissfluhjoch over . His enthusiasm for extended to exploratory journeys across and , often tied to personal inspiration rather than professional obligations. In a brief foray into water sports, Viertel promoted in by introducing the activity in in 1956 while scouting film locations, establishing the continent's first surf club there. Viertel's residences reflected his evolving life between continents, beginning with his formative years in , , where he grew up amid the émigré artistic circles surrounding his mother Salka Viertel's salon in Santa Monica. Following , he relocated to , purchasing property in , , which served as his winter home and a hub for skiing. In later decades, he maintained a villa in Marbella, Spain, as his primary residence, embracing the coastal lifestyle of the . Viertel immersed himself in vibrant expatriate communities, first in Hollywood's community of European intellectuals and artists, including figures like and , and later in , where he helped transform the quiet Alpine village into a glamorous destination dubbed "Hollywood on the Rocks" by attracting fellow celebrities. His personal friendships extended beyond collaborations to deep bonds with luminaries such as , with whom he shared adventures during film productions, and , who praised Viertel's early novel and corresponded with him warmly over shared pursuits. In his later years, Viertel balanced creative writing with leisurely pursuits, dividing time between for winter skiing and for Mediterranean relaxation, where he focused on novels amid a serene routine of reading, travel planning, and quiet domestic life with his wife . This measured pace allowed him to maintain intellectual engagement while savoring the enclaves he had helped cultivate.

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Passing

In the later years of his marriage to , Peter Viertel and his wife spent much of their time at their villa in , , embracing a more tranquil lifestyle away from the demands of . During the , Viertel's health began to decline as he was diagnosed with , a condition he battled until his death. Viertel passed away on November 4, 2007, at the age of 86 in , with confirmed as the ; his passing came just 19 days after Kerr's on October 16, 2007. A private funeral ceremony was held for Viertel in on November 6, 2007, attended by family and close friends, though it drew a larger gathering than anticipated due to his wide circle of acquaintances. His remains were cremated at the Virgen del Carmen cemetery in Malaga, and his ashes were subsequently scattered in Guéthary, . Viertel was survived by his daughter, Christine Viertel, from his first marriage; the family issued no formal public statement, but friends such as Adam Shaw and Paula Kane announced his death to the press, noting the profound loss following Kerr's recent passing.

Influence and Recognition

Peter Viertel's screenplay for the 1951 war film , adapted from George Howe's novel Call It Treason, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, highlighting his early contributions to Hollywood's portrayal of espionage. The film's nomination, shared with director and producer , underscored Viertel's ability to craft tense, authentic narratives based on his own U.S. intelligence experiences in occupied . Viertel's 1953 novel White Hunter Black Heart received critical acclaim as a sharp exposé of Hollywood's egos and excesses, drawing from his time as a screenwriter on John Huston's The African Queen. Reviewers praised its perceptive prose and realistic dialogue, portraying the director's obsessive elephant hunt as a for artistic . The book's influence extended to cinema, inspiring Clint Eastwood's 1990 adaptation, which Viertel helped develop and which earned praise for capturing the novel's critique of filmmaking's destructive impulses. Viertel played a pivotal role in popularizing across , particularly in and , during the while scouting locations for films like . In 1956, he introduced surfboards to 's Grande Plage, inspiring local pioneers such as Joël de Rosnay and Georges Hennebutte, and sparking the continent's first organized surf sessions. His efforts earned posthumous recognition in European sports history, including honors at the 1997 Biarritz Surf Festival, where he was celebrated as the "inventor of surfing in ." In May 2008, a paddle-out ceremony was held in Guéthary to honor Viertel, celebrating his role in introducing to . Viertel's 1992 memoir Dangerous Friends: At Large with Huston and Hemingway in the Fifties has become a key source for understanding mid-20th-century celebrities, offering candid insights into figures like , , , and . Described as the finest memoir on Hemingway's later years, it details the bohemian excesses and creative rivalries of Hollywood's golden era, influencing subsequent biographical accounts. Following his death in 2007, Viertel received widespread posthumous honors through obituaries in major publications, including and , which lauded his multifaceted career bridging , , and adventure. His writings continue to hold relevance in biographies of Huston, where provides firsthand views of the director's temperament, and of , his wife of 47 years, illuminating her personal and professional circles. A 2007 documentary, Peter Viertel – Between the Lines, directed by Michael Scheingraber and completed shortly after Viertel's death, drew on extensive interviews to explore his life and influences. Viertel's cultural footprint also appears in film, with his persona inspiring Robert Redford's character Hubbell Gardiner in The Way We Were (1973), reflecting his suave, intellectual demeanor from screenwriter ' social circle.

References

  1. [1]
    Peter Viertel | Movies - The Guardian
    Nov 6, 2007 · The novelist and screenwriter Peter Viertel, who has died aged 86, almost two weeks after the death of his wife Deborah Kerr, was probably more celebrated for ...
  2. [2]
    Peter Viertel: Screen-writer and bon viveur | The Independent
    Dec 21, 2007 · Peter Viertel was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1920. His Viennese father, Berthold Viertel, was a poet, novelist and playwright, and had acted ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  3. [3]
    Film actress Deborah Kerr and screenwriter Peter Viertel get married ...
    Download stock image by Jules Vogt - Film actress Deborah Kerr and screenwriter Peter Viertel get married on 23 July 1960 in Klosters, Canton Graubuenden.
  4. [4]
    Peter Viertel, 86, Author and Screenwriter, Is Dead
    Nov 6, 2007 · Peter Viertel was born in Dresden, Germany, on Nov. 16, 1920. Six years later, he moved to Hollywood, where his father, Berthold, worked as ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  5. [5]
    Salka Viertel | Jewish Women's Archive
    During Salka's years in the avant-garde theater, the Viertels had three sons, Hans (b. 1918), Peter (b. 1920), and Thomas (b. 1915). Peter went on to write ...
  6. [6]
    Salka the Salonnière, by Ruth Franklin - Harper's Magazine
    In Prague, the Viertels dined occasionally with Max Brod and Franz Kafka, but Salka was “too awed and too shy” to speak to the great writer. Later, when ...
  7. [7]
    Salka Viertel: The Kindest of Strangers - Tablet Magazine
    Feb 6, 2020 · A new biography revives the generous life of Salka Viertel, LA 'salonnière,' memoirist, 'Garbo specialist,' and Jewish mother to Hollywood stars.
  8. [8]
    A New Place of Refuge: On Salka Viertel's “The Kindness of Strangers”
    Apr 24, 2019 · In her engaging memoir of 20th-century literary life, The Kindness of Strangers, Salka Viertel, a leading Austrian actress, recounts her first American ...
  9. [9]
    The Woman Who Welcomed Refugees to Hollywood in World War II
    Jan 2, 2020 · It was a personal financial crisis that had brought Salka Viertel to California in 1928, and it was another that forced her to leave, in the ...Missing: struggles | Show results with:struggles
  10. [10]
    The Haunted California Idyll of German Writers in Exile
    Mar 2, 2020 · Viertel had been in L.A. since 1928, when her husband, the director Berthold Viertel, received a studio contract. Ernst Lubitsch, F. W. Murnau, ...
  11. [11]
    Salka Viertel and the Hollywood exiles | TheArticle
    Mar 15, 2020 · Her stage career ended when she and her husband Berthold Viertel moved to America in 1928. Salka arrived the year after The Jazz Singer ...Missing: Prague | Show results with:Prague<|control11|><|separator|>
  12. [12]
    University High School - Chieftain Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)
    University High School - Chieftain Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA), Class of 1937 ... PETER VIERTEL ETHEL WALGAMOT ELMO WARD MIYOKO WATANABE TOMIKO WATANABE ...
  13. [13]
    Peter Viertel - NNDB
    Father: Berthold Viertel (screenwriter/director, b. 1885, d. 1953) ; Mother: Steuermann Steuermann ("Salka Viertel", b. 1889, d. 1978) ; Brother: Hans ; Brother: ...Missing: childhood Prague
  14. [14]
    Viertel, Peter, 1920-2007 | Dartmouth Libraries Archives & Manuscripts
    Peter Viertel (1920-2007). Screenwriter and author. Non-graduate of Dartmouth, class of 1941. Found in 1 Collection or Record: Peter Viertel screenplays.
  15. [15]
    THE CANYON | Dartmouth Alumni Magazine | November 1940
    by Peter Viertel '4. Harcourt, Brace, 1940. 288 pp. $2.50. PETER VIERTEL was at Dartmouth only a semester—he remembered his canyon in the hills of Santa Monica.
  16. [16]
    Peter Viertel (1920 - 2007) - Geni
    Feb 24, 2025 · Peter Viertel, the novelist, memoirist and screenwriter best known for his books chronicling episodes in the lives of Ernest Hemingway and John Huston, has ...
  17. [17]
    Peter Viertel, 86; wrote about Huston, Hemingway
    Nov 6, 2007 · He is survived by a brother, Thomas Viertel of Los Angeles; a daughter, Christine Viertel of Austin, Texas; Kerr's two daughters, Franchesca ...Missing: Hans | Show results with:Hans
  18. [18]
    OSS in Germany - Warfare History Network
    Viertel was already a talented and established writer who had written the screenplay for the 1942 Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller Saboteur. He transferred from ...Missing: II | Show results with:II<|separator|>
  19. [19]
    The Canyon - 1940 - Peter Viertel, writer
    Although it is about a group of adolescents and especially about one boy hesitating uneasily before facing the trials of manhood, it is written with a grace and ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
  20. [20]
    Line of Departure by Peter Viertel - Goodreads
    Rating 3.0 (1) 316 pages, Hardcover. First published January 1, 1947. Book details & editions. 2 people want to read. About the author. Profile Image for Peter Viertel.
  21. [21]
    White Hunter, Black Heart - 1953 - Peter Viertel
    White Hunter, Black Heart - novel about John Huston and the pre-production for the African Queen.Missing: 1990 | Show results with:1990<|separator|>
  22. [22]
    White Hunter, Black Heart 1990, directed by Clint Eastwood - Time Out
    Dec 13, 2011 · In this adaptation by Peter Viertel from his thinly fictionalised ... themes - wanton ecological destruction, colonial racism, and the ...
  23. [23]
    Bicycle on the Beach - Peter Viertel
    Set against this background of mounting tension comes an extraordinary and evocative reminiscence of a long ago love.
  24. [24]
    IN SHORT: FICTION - The New York Times
    May 14, 1995 · Fine, $21.95. "You can do anything you want in life," says Robert Masters, the protagonist of Peter Viertel's novel, "but you have to pay the ...Missing: critical reception
  25. [25]
    Dangerous Friends: At Large With Huston and ... - Peter Viertel
    The section below is excerpted from Mr. Viertel's memoir Dangerous Friends: At Large with Hemingway and Huston in the Fifties.
  26. [26]
    DANGEROUS FRIENDS - Kirkus Reviews
    Reserved but involving memoir of novelist/screenwriter Viertel's lifelong friendships with John Huston and Ernest Hemingway, among other fabulous folk.<|control11|><|separator|>
  27. [27]
    The Survivors – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB
    The Survivors (Original, Play, Broadway) opened in New York City Jan 19, 1948 and played through Jan 24, 1948.
  28. [28]
    "Studio One" The Survivors (TV Episode 1950) - IMDb
    Rating 5.2/10 (11) Peter Decker returns from the American Civil War with a grudge against his neighbor, an army brigade troop leader. The showdown takes place according to the ...Missing: adaptations 1957
  29. [29]
    The Survivors (TV Movie 1957) - IMDb
    A man returns from war with a grudge which may lead him to murder.A man returns from war with a grudge which may lead him to murder.Missing: adaptations 1950
  30. [30]
    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0712577/
  31. [31]
    The Beginnings of Surfing in Spain as a Case Study - Redalyc
    On the continent, the starting point (admitted by almost everyone) is the summer of 1956 in Biarritz, (France), when Peter Viertel (scriptwriter) introduced ...
  32. [32]
    Confessions of a Klostersphile - The New York Times
    Mar 25, 1973 · A few years later, I was invited out to Sun Valley by my friend the novelist and screen writer Peter Viertel, who had taken a house there for ...
  33. [33]
    MOVIES - June 12, 1989 - Los Angeles Times
    Jun 12, 1989 · “I think it is better in the long run to have animals alive than dead trinkets,” he said. “I personally will not buy ivory for this reason.” He ...
  34. [34]
    Between the Lines - Peter Viertel
    Nov 9, 2007 · The sections with Peter Viertel are in English. He discusses his Hollywood, World War II (Viertel was a marine and also in the OSS), and experiences as a ...Missing: Prague | Show results with:Prague
  35. [35]
    Peter Viertel (1920–2007) - Ancestors Family Search
    He married Jigee Ray in 1943. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He lived in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States for about 10 years. He ...Missing: date | Show results with:date
  36. [36]
    Peter Viertel - Trivia - IMDb
    1960, Peter then married Deborah Kerr 6 months ... Peter Veirtel and his first wife, Jigee, had one daughter, Christine, born in 1952. ... Photos · These Stars Are ...Missing: date | Show results with:date
  37. [37]
    Peter Viertel News
    Viertel died of lymphoma Sunday in the Spanish coastal resort of Marbella, according to Paula Kane, a family friend. His death came less than three weeks after ...Missing: major | Show results with:major
  38. [38]
    The Lady - Interview with Deborah Kerr
    Their daughters Melanie and Francesca were born in 1948 and 1951. (Today, Melanie is principal research fellow of epidemiology at London University.
  39. [39]
    Deborah Kerr obituary | Movies | The Guardian
    Oct 18, 2007 · She was already in poor health and had long retired from acting, dividing her time between homes in Switzerland and Spain with her writer ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  40. [40]
    Deborah Kerr and Peter Viertel, captured in a quiet, joyful moment in ...
    Aug 6, 2025 · They married in 1960 and remained devoted to one another for nearly five decades, until Kerr's passing in October 2007—just weeks before Viertel ...
  41. [41]
    The Second Life of Deborah Kerr
    Mar 11, 2009 · Marriage to Peter Viertel-who is of German, Austrian, Polish, and Russian descent -has at last brought Deborah out of this unreal existence. At ...
  42. [42]
    Skiing in Klosters: The Stars Have Gone but the Glitter Remains
    Feb 5, 1978 · It was that kind of skiing, and something more, that attracted the first of Klosters' modern settlers. In 1996, Shaw's friend, Peter Viertel ...Missing: environmental ocean conservation
  43. [43]
    Actress Deborah Kerr dies at 86 | The Seattle Times
    Oct 18, 2007 · A year later she married Peter Viertel, a novelist-screenwriter ... Swiss Alpine resort of Klosters and in a villa in Marbella, Spain.Missing: Switzerland | Show results with:Switzerland
  44. [44]
    Hollywood in Klosters
    Peter Viertel and Irwin Shaw brought all of Hollywood to Klosters. To pass the time, Viertel learned to ski and discovered Klosters, which had already been ...
  45. [45]
    Deborah Kerr: A life of tranquillity in the Marbella hills | Sur in English
    Sep 27, 2024 · The Scottish-born actress and her American husband found their haven in the hilltop Rio Real Golf development, one of the most peaceful estates in Marbella.Missing: 1990s | Show results with:1990s
  46. [46]
    Familiares y amigos despiden al guionista de cine Peter Viertel en ...
    Nov 6, 2007 · Los restos mortales del autor han sido incinerados en el cementerio Virgen del Carmen ... Familiares y amigos han despedido hoy al escritor y ...Missing: burial | Show results with:burial
  47. [47]
    Tributes to Peter Viertel from Marbella, Spain
    Nov 8, 2007 · The leader of Marbella's Majorettes Band played Taps for Peter and we then returned to Peter and Deborah's friendly, cozy villa. There we shared ...
  48. [48]
    Peter Viertel (1920-2007) - Find a Grave Memorial
    The son of Salka and Berthold Viertel was born in Dresden, Germany, and at the age of eight, he moved with his parents to Santa Monica, California. He began his ...Missing: childhood Prague
  49. [49]
    Decision Before Dawn - AFI|Catalog - American Film Institute
    The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, but lost to M-G-M's An American in Paris. Decision Before Dawn also received an Oscar ...
  50. [50]
    WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART. | Dartmouth Alumni Magazine
    The plot deals primarily with the relationship between the two men - Peter Verrill (or Viertel?), a sensitive, imaginative and highly unrealistic writer.Missing: 1990 | Show results with:1990
  51. [51]
    White Hunter, Black Heart movie review (1990) | Roger Ebert
    Rating 3/4 · Review by Roger EbertViertel was a privileged observer to what has become one of the legendary location shoots of Hollywood history, and his novel from the 1950s, White Hunter, ...Missing: critical acclaim influence<|separator|>
  52. [52]
    The Origins of Surfing in France - Google Arts & Culture
    Surfing first arrived on the French coast in Biarritz in 1956. The young people of Biarritz were fascinated by the sport and launched themselves into it.
  53. [53]
    Surfing dads and Peter Viertel rewarded at Bbiarritz Surf Festival
    The inventor of surfing in France, the American stage designer Peter Viertel and the surfers, the first French surfers, were celebrated at an evening of the ...
  54. [54]
    https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-london-magazine/20190201/282175062352191
  55. [55]
    Peter Viertel, 86; Novelist and Noted Screenplay Writer
    Nov 5, 2007 · After military service during World War II, Mr. Viertel tried to reassert himself as a novelist. He was alternately mentored and hectored by ...
  56. [56]
    Deborah Kerr: An Actress in Search of an Author
    Apr 30, 2011 · She was an actress,” Deborah Kerr's husband of 47 years, the writer Peter Viertel, noted in Affairs to Remember: Deborah Kerr.4 Interviewed ...