Sidney Aaron Chayefski, known as Paddy Chayefsky, was an acclaimed dramatist and novelist who made a transition from the golden age of American live television in the 1950s to a successful career as a playwright and screenwriter.
Chayefsky worked in the media of radio, television and film but is best known for his numerous screenplays for films such as Marty, Paint Your Wagon, The Hospital and Network. Winner of numerous awards, Network became something of a cult classic and defining film of the 1970s. The tag line of its protagonist, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," resonated with the viewing public in the era of Watergate. The film cataloged the growing importance of the media as well as the corrupting influence of wealth over the pursuit of journalistic integrity.
