Sy Salkowitz, writer for television and motion pictures, was born on April 21, 1926 to both Charles D. and Ethel (Paulin) Salkowitz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both of his parents were the children of Russian Jewish immigrants, and neither parent had completed grammar school.
As a child, Salkowitz became interested in the performing arts. he acted in plays produced by the local social service community center and for a short time was a child radio actor.
He attended West Philadelphia High School for several years, but quit during World War II to serve for three years in the U.S. Navy. After his discharge, he attended Yale University, from which he graduated with a B.A. in 1950. While at Yale, he started writing short stories as much out of interest in experimenting with the format as out of financial need.
Between 1950 and 1956, Salkoowitz held a variety of jobs-photographer, public relations man, community theatre director, director of television commercials, and producer of public relations films.
In 1956 he went to London and received his first job writing scripts for television, for the series The Errol Flynn Theater. On his return to the United States in 1957, he wrote for a new York-Produced series, Captain David Grief. In 1959, he moved to Hollywood. There he wrote for such series as The Perry Mason Show, Naked City, The Untouchables, Rawhide, The F.B.I. , Ironside, Born Free, Chopper One, Hawkins, Naki, Police Story, The Rookies, and The Six Million Dollar Man. His Police Story script, “Requiem for an Informer,” won the Edgar Allen Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Salkowitz also was active in the Writers Guild of America West (television branch). During 1970 he was a member of the Council, and from 1964 to 1968 he was chairman of the negotiating committee.
In the late 1970s, Salkowitz turned his talents to television production, with less emphasis on writing. In 1976 he was named a corporate vice-president of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, became president of Twentieth Century-Fox Television, and later worked with Viacom Productions, Inc. He helped create and also wrote for Today's FBI, and for several unproduced television series as Sy Salkowitz Productions, Inc.
