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Variety

Emmy-Winning Writer, Former WGA President, Dead at 89

Nov 14, 2014  •  Post A Comment

A two-time Emmy-winning screenwriter who was the president of the Writers Guild of America East has died. Variety reports that Ernest Kinoy, who won Emmys for writing for the 1977 ABC miniseries “Roots” and the CBS drama series “The Defenders,” died Monday in Townshend, Vt., of complications from pneumonia. He was 89.

His Emmy-winning episode of “The Defenders” was the 1964 “Blacklist” episode, the piece notes. His other TV credits included writing for “Dr. Kildare,” “Route 66” and “The Untouchables.” In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote for more than a dozen telepictures, including “Roots: The Next Generations.”

He served as president of the Writers Guild of America East from 1969 to 1971.

“My most vivid memory of Ernie Kinoy is the phone calls he made to me during the 2007-08 Writers Guild strike in which he offered greatly valued advice, support and encouragement,” said WGA East President Michael Winship. “This Emmy Award winner was an important member of the Guild East, a past president who received two of our highest awards: the Hunter Award for career achievement and the Jablow Award for devoted service to the union.”

ernest kinoy

Ernest Kinoy

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