Joseph Stefano

Joseph Stefano (5 May 1922 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 25 August 2006) was an American screenwriter. As a teenager, Stefano was so keen to become an actor that he dropped out of high school two weeks before graduation and went to New York City. In Manhattan he adopted the stage name Jerry Stevens. But Stefano's initial career was as a composer of pop music in the 1940s, writing songs for Las Vegas showman Donn Arden. In possession of a large col... more

Joseph Stefano (5 May 1922 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 25 August 2006) was an American screenwriter. As a teenager, Stefano was so keen to become an actor that he dropped out of high school two weeks before graduation and went to New York City. In Manhattan he adopted the stage name Jerry Stevens. But Stefano's initial career was as a composer of pop music in the 1940s, writing songs for Las Vegas showman Donn Arden. In possession of a large collection of sheet music, he once spent five hours challenging pianist Michael Feinstein on names of obscure Tin Pan Alley songs. Stefano began writing movie scripts in the late 1950s, firstly for Martin Ritt with The Black Orchid (1958); his father, a tailor, had made silk flowers and this was an influence on the screenplay. In 1960 though, Stefano was commissioned by Alfred Hitchcock to adapt Robert Bloch's pulp novel Psycho for the screen. His work was recognized by the Mystery Writers of America when he was given a 1961 Edgar Award, for Best... less