Multifaceted writer Sidney Sheldon dies

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Sidney Sheldon, the best-selling author who won an Oscar and a Tony and created popular TV shows, died of pneumonia in a Rancho Mirage, Calif., hospital.

Sheldon, 89, understood popular tastes, which fed a string of romantic and suspense-filled books that made him a perennial best-seller, The Los Angeles Times said. His novels usually centered on glamour and intrigue, which helped define them as easy-to-read page-turners.

His writing talent went beyond books. His script for "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer" won him a 1948 Academy Award for original screenplay. Sheldon was also a screenwriter for the musicals "Easter Parade" and "The Barkleys of Broadway."

Sheldon wrote half a dozen plays for Broadway. His biggest was the musical "Redhead," which earned him a Tony for co-writing the book.

He wrote for the small screen, writing episodes for two hit comedies he created -- "The Patty Duke Show" and "I Dream of Jeannie." He also created the glamorous, globe-trotting "Hart to Hart."

Sheldon, who died Tuesday, is survived by his wife, Alexandra Kostoff, a daughter, two grandchildren and a brother.