Dore Schary Dead at 74

Dore Schary, noted motion picture producer, director, playwright and Jewish community leader, died here today after a long illness. He was 74 years old. Funeral services will be private. A memorial service will be held or 11 a.m., Thursday, at the national headquarters of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.

Schary, associated with ADL for more than four decades, served as national chairman from 1963 to 1970, and until his death, was active as honorary national chairman. Earlier this year ADL presented him with its Haym Salomon Award for “inspired contributions to artistic expression in our society and for enriching Jewish life.” Nathan Perlmutter, ADL national director, said of Schary: “He was warm, understanding and conciliatory in all things except principle.”

The author of 40 screenplays, including Boys Town, which won an Academy Award; Sunrise at Campobello, for which he won two Tony awards; Edison the Man and Act One, Schary was the producer or executive in charge of more than 350 Hollywood films. Born in Newark, NJ, August 31, 1905, Schary participated as a youth in his family’s catering business – the subject of his book “For Special Occasions” – before going to Hollywood in the early Thirties.

In recent years, reflecting on his involvement in Jewish affairs, Schary wrote and produced the documentary film, “Israel: The Right to Be” and acted as chairman for the Bicentennial Conference of Cultural Arts sponsored by the Jewish Welfare Board, in addition to his activities for ADL. He also produced the play, “Herzl,” written in collaboration with Israeli author Amos Elon, based on the latter’s biography of Herzl.

Earlier this year Schary published his autobiography, entitled “Heyday” and at the time of his death he was working on a play based on “For Special Occasions.” He also was the author of another book, Case History of a Movie and the screenplay of the film, Storm in the West, written in collaboration with Sinclair Lewis.