Bertram Bloch; Story Editor and Playwright

Bertram Bloch, the playwright and novelist who co-authored the play “Dark Victory” and was a story editor for MGM and 20th Century Fox studios during Hollywood’s heyday, has died at age 95.

Bloch, a native New Yorker who continued to live in Manhattan while working as eastern story director for Fox and MGM from 1928 to 1956, died at New York Hospital Friday of heart disease, his wife, Susanne Suba, said this week.

In addition to the 1934 play “Dark Victory,” which he co-authored with George Brewer Jr., Bloch wrote the plays “Glory Hallelujah” (1926), “Joseph” (1930), “Jewel Robbery” (1932) and “Spring Again” (1941).

“Dark Victory” starred Tallulah Bankhead on Broadway and was made into one of Bette Davis’ most successful films.

Guild Co-Founder

Bloch was a co-founder of the Screen Writers Guild and a long-time member of the Dramatists Guild.

Bloch headed the eastern story department for MGM from 1928 to 1939 and for Fox from 1941 to 1956.

He was responsible for buying the stories that were eventually turned into such movie classics as “Grand Hotel” with Greta Garbo, John Barrymore and Joan Crawford in 1932; “All About Eve” with Davis, George Sanders and Anne Baxter in 1950 and “Bus Stop” with Marilyn Monroe in 1956.

Bloch also was the author of such books as “Mrs. Hulett” (1953), “The Little Laundress” and “The Only Nellie Fayle” (1960).