Ira Levin Ira Levin Ira Marvin Levin (August 27, 1929 – November 12, 2007) was an American novelist, playwright, and songwriter. His most noted works include the novels "A Kiss Before Dying" (1953), "Rosemary's Baby" (1967), "The Stepford Wives" (1972), and "The Boys from Brazil" (1976), as well as the play "Deathtrap" (1978). Many of his novels and plays have been adapted to film. Ira Levin was born on August 27, 1929, in the New York City, New York borough of Manhattan. He grew up in both Manhattan and the Bronx. His father, Charles, was a toy importer. Levin was educated at
Bernard Levin with "Truth's" support of the Anglo-French military action in the Suez Crisis. The proprietor and editor of the long-established weekly "The Spectator", Ian Gilmour, invited Levin to join his staff. Levin left "Truth" and became the political correspondent of "The Spectator". He declared that he was no expert in politics, but Gilmour advised him, "review it as you would review television". Levin wrote his column under the pseudonym "Taper", from the name of a corrupt political insider in Disraeli's 1844 novel "Coningsby". He followed Gilmour's advice, becoming, as "The Guardian"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Simon Hoggart said, "the father of the modern parliamentary sketch":