Leigh Chapman
Birth Name:
Rosa Lee Chapman
Birth Place:
Kannapolis, North Carolina, United States
Profession
Writer, Actress
Fast Facts
- Graduated from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S․C
- Began her screenwriting career in Los Angeles at the William Morris agency as a script transcriber
- Sold her first TV script in 1964 for an episode of "Burke's Law" and went on to write for series like "My Favorite Martian" and "Mod Squad․"
- Began her career as an actress, most notably appearing as Napoleon Solo's secretary Sarah Johnson in "The Man From U․N․C․L․E․"
- Quote: "My alter ego is male․ I decided early on that guys got to have all the fun․ Women don't interest me․"
- Quote: "I couldn't write a romantic comedy or a chick flick if my life depended on it․ I could write a love story, but it would have to be a 'Casablanca'-type of love story, and some people would have to die․"
- Best known as a screenwriter who wrote "Truck Turner" and "The Octagon" and co-wrote "Dirty Harry Crazy Mary․"
- In her later years, she took up scuba diving and underwater photography
- Was a self-described adrenaline junkie and spent her first paycheck as a professional writer in 1963 on a Corvette