Biography
Dean Riesner was an American screenwriter and television writer. Born on 3 November 1918 in New Rochelle, New York, he began his career as a child actor under the name Dinky Dean, appearing in films including Charlie Chaplin's The Pilgrim (1923). His father was silent film director Charles Reisner. As an adult he turned to writing, with an early credit on the 1939 film Code of the Secret Service.
Riesner wrote for television series including Rawhide and The Outer Limits in the 1950s and 1960s. He contributed screenplays to several Clint Eastwood films, including Coogan's Bluff (1968), Play Misty for Me (1971), Dirty Harry (1971), Charley Varrick (1973) and The Enforcer (1976). He also received a screenplay credit on the 1981 film Das Boot and wrote Sudden Impact (1983) and Fatal Beauty (1987). He directed the 1948 film Bill and Coo.
Riesner died on 18 August 2002 in Encino, California. He was married to actress Maila Nurmi in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
