Doris Silverton, 73; TV Writer

Doris Silverton, a television writer who wrote several TV movies as well as short stories and newspaper and magazine articles, died Tuesday in Los Angeles after a three-year battle with lung cancer. She was 73.

Silverton began her career in television in the 1970s, writing “The Jayne Mansfield Story,” which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, and “Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted.” For several years in the 1980s, she wrote for the soap opera “General Hospital.” She also worked on “Dynasty II” and “Hotel.”

Apart from television, Silverton published fiction and nonfiction in leading national magazines such as McCalls and the Saturday Evening Post. Her work “The Mexican Maid” was listed as one of the top short stories of 1971.

Born in Yonkers, she attended Grinnell College in Iowa, where she met Lawrence Silverton, her husband of 53 years.

Active in community affairs, Silverton served as commissioner of animal regulations under Mayor Tom Bradley. She also tutored disadvantaged children at Lankershim Elementary School.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters: Gail Silverton, co-owner and director of The Neighborhood Schools; and Nancy Silverton Peel, co-owner of Campanile restaurant and the La Brea Bakery, and an internationally known pastry chef. Other survivors include six grandchildren and a sister, Barbara Phillips of San Francisco.

The family requests that contributions be made in Silverton’s name to the The Learning Crew, 11825 Laurelwood Drive, #21, Studio City, CA 91604; or to Treepeople, 12601 Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.