Frank Pierson was an American screenwriter and film director. He worked as a correspondent for Time and Life magazines before selling his first script to Alcoa-Goodyear Theater. He got his break in Hollywood in 1958 as scripted editor for Have Gun, Will Travel and moved on to write for the television series "Naked City", "Route 66" and others. He went on to write or co-write several notable films, including Cat Ballou and Cool Hand Luke which were both nominated for Academy Awards. He wrote Dog Day Afternoon, which won Pierson his Oscar statuette. Pierson directed several notable films produced for television, including "Citizen Cohn", "Conspiracy", and "Somebody Has To Shoot the Picture". His direction on "Conspiracy" won a Directors' Guild Award for Best Television Movie, and his second