Biography
Philip Yordan (1 April 1914 – 24 March 2003) was an American screenwriter, film producer, novelist and playwright. Born in Chicago, he studied at the University of Illinois and Chicago-Kent College of Law before turning to writing. His Broadway play Anna Lucasta (1944) brought him early success and was later adapted for the screen twice.
Yordan received sole screen credit for Johnny Guitar (1954). He wrote or co-wrote numerous other films, including Detective Story (1951), The Big Combo (1955), The Man from Laramie (1955), El Cid (1961), King of Kings (1961) and 55 Days at Peking (1963). He was nominated for three Academy Awards and won for Best Story for Broken Lance (1954). During the 1950s he frequently acted as a front for blacklisted writers.
