Tom Mankiewicz, screenwriter for James Bond films, dies

LOS ANGELES - Tom Mankiewicz, the screenwriter of such James Bond films as "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Live and Let Die" and the first two "Superman" movies, has died in Los Angeles at 68.

Mankiewicz died Saturday at his home after battling cancer. He underwent the Whipple operation, which is used to treat pancreatic cancer, three months ago.

A cause of death was not immediately known.

He was a member of Hollywood's legendary Mankiewicz family: His father was Joseph L. Mankiewicz, director of classics including "All About Eve," "A Letter to Three Wives" and "The Barefoot Contessa." He was also the nephew of "Citizen Kane" co-writer Herman J. Mankiewicz.

Tom Mankiewicz directed the 1987 movie "Dragnet," starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, and several episodes of the TV series "Hart to Hart."

Mankiewicz began his career as an assistant director on "The Comancheros" in 1961, in which John Wayne starred.

In 1970, he was hired to rewrite "Diamonds Are Forever," which was the beginning of a longtime association with the Broccoli family and the Bond franchise. He also wrote "The Man With the Golden Gun" and made uncredited contributions to "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker."

Director Richard Donner asked Mankiewicz to rewrite and condense the scripts for 1978's "Superman" and the 1980 sequel "Superman II," for which he received credit as a creative consultant but not as a writer.

Mankiewicz is survived by his brother Christopher, a film producer; his sister, Alexandra; his nephew, Jason; and many cousins working in film, television or journalism.