Frank Gilroy was a writer, director and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright best known for his work on the 1964 play The Subject Was Roses, which he adapted for the screen four years later. Centered on a World War II veteran returning home, the production won Gilroy the Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer for drama.
He also worked on the 1960 films The Gallant Hours (starring James Cagney), Jinxed! starring Bette Midler, and Gundown at Sandoval, and he wrote and directed the 1971 film Desperate Characters, starring Shirley MacLaine. He also wrote the play and film adaptation for The Only Game in Town and wrote the novel and film adaptation for 1976’s From Noon Till Three, starring Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland.
Gilroy got his start writing for live television shows before he made his way into theater. His work in television included such anthology series as Armstrong Circle Theatre, Ponds Theater, Lux Video Theatre, Fireside Theatre, Rheingold Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, Matinee Theatre and Playhouse 90, among others. He also wrote for the series The Rifleman, Have Gun — Will Travel, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and The Rebel.
Frank Gilroy was a writer, director and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright best known for his work on the 1964 play The Subject Was Roses, which he adapted for the screen four years later. Centered on a World War II veteran returning home, the production won Gilroy the Tony Award for best play and the Pulitzer for drama.
He also worked on the 1960 films The Gallant Hours (starring James Cagney), Jinxed! starring Bette Midler, and Gundown at Sandoval, and he wrote and directed the 1971 film Desperate Characters, starring Shirley MacLaine. He also wrote the play and film adaptation for The Only Game in Town and wrote the novel and film adaptation for 1976’s From Noon Till Three, starring Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland.
Gilroy got his start writing for live television shows before he made his way into theater. His work in television included such anthology series as Armstrong Circle Theatre, Ponds Theater, Lux Video Theatre, Fireside Theatre, Rheingold Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, Matinee Theatre and Playhouse 90, among others. He also wrote for the series The Rifleman, Have Gun — Will Travel, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and The Rebel.
In 1963 he created the detective series Burke's Law, starring Gene Barry and Gary Conway. The series ran for several seasons and was briefly revived in 1994. Additionally, Gilroy wrote and directed the pilot of Gibbsville, based on John O’Hara stories, as well as the television movies The Doorbell Rang, The Turning Point of Jim Malloy, Nero Wolfe and Money Play$.
Gilroy died September 12, 2015, in Monroe, New York. He was 89.
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