Edward was born Edward Joseph Shea III to Victoria Rene (Chiarle) Shea and Edward Joseph Shea II in San Francisco during the Great Depression. Edward Sr. was one of a long line of Sheas from County Cork, Ireland, that had settled in San Francisco in the 1860's. Victoria Rene was a first generation American whose parents had emigrated from a small village in the mountains of Northern Italy called Balengero.
The marriage did not last long, and Victoria Rene was hard pressed to feed herself and her child in those awful depression years. Then she met Wayne Jalo Lakso, who was very kind to her and protective of her, and they had a happy marriage of many years, having 4 additional children.
Little Eddie Shea eventually took the name of his stepfather and became known as Ed Lakso.
A remarkable talent for music, singing and writing marked him as a star from the very beginning of his life. He could compose an entire orchestral piece on paper without ever picking up an instrument. He could sing anything, including opera.
He started writing for movies and television on a fluke. A friend of a friend needed a screenplay FAST, and Ed wrote it in 3 days. Speed and quality were to become expected of him in his career as a writer, and he did not disappoint.
He was prolific from the start. AIRWOLF; THE FALL GUY; COMBAT; MOD SQUAD; THE ROCKFORD FILES; STAR TREK; CHARLIE'S ANGELS; STARSKY AND HUTCH; BARETTA; MANNIX; MISSION IMPOSSIBLE; THE WILD WILD WEST; and dozens of other television shows used his screenplays. For some time, he was also "line producer" on Charlie's Angels, and even used some of his own original music in some of the episodes.
He wrote several screenplays and at least three stage musicals: OH, NELLIE, a melodrama for the little western style theatre in West Yellowstone; VINCENT, THE MUSICAL, a stage production at a small theatre in Hollywood; and WATERGATE, which he wrote with a co-author.
In 1953, he married his small town sweetheart, Ruth Louise Laird. Together they had 2 children, both girls. The marriage lasted until about 1961. His eldest daughter worked with her dad for a few years, writing stories for Charlie's Angels, was successful with several different types of art, and eventually became a nun. The other daughter became an insurance professional with her own firm and then later became an attorney.
In 1967, Ed married Diane Haggin, a model, which marriage lasted until about 1975. They had no children.
In 1985, he married a third time. There were no children from that marriage.
Ed being a prolific writer, one newspaper reporter asked him, "Mr. Lakso, what is your inspiration?" to which he replied, "my bank balance!" Those depression years never left his memory, and spurred him on to work as hard and as fast as he could. Wherever he was, his yellow writing pad and pencil weren't far away.
He was devoted to his hobbies as well. The first time he went skiing, he broke his leg and also fell in love with the sport. He had learned to fly in the air force, so when he became successful, he bought himself a little 6-seater Cessna airplane and spent nearly every holiday flying up to Aspen for some good skiing. On one such trip with long-term girlfriend Kathy, the wings iced over and he had to make a crash landing in the middle of Bryce Canyon. He walked away, apparently unscathed, but an injury to the brain was detected in later years and could have been the incentive for the Parkinson's Disease that later beset him.
Eddie leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a sister, and his third wife. His first two wives preceded him in death.
I am Edward Joseph (Shea) Lakso's daughter. If you have any questions about him or this bio, please contact me.
(c) copyright 2015
All rights reserved. Biography may not be
used for any purpose without express written
permission.
Silver "Rose" Parnell
The marriage did not last long, and Victoria Rene was hard pressed to feed herself and her child in those awful depression years. Then she met Wayne Jalo Lakso, who was very kind to her and protective of her, and they had a happy marriage of many years, having 4 additional children.
Little Eddie Shea eventually took the name of his stepfather and became known as Ed Lakso.
A remarkable talent for music, singing and writing marked him as a star from the very beginning of his life. He could compose an entire orchestral piece on paper without ever picking up an instrument. He could sing anything, including opera.
He started writing for movies and television on a fluke. A friend of a friend needed a screenplay FAST, and Ed wrote it in 3 days. Speed and quality were to become expected of him in his career as a writer, and he did not disappoint.
He was prolific from the start. AIRWOLF; THE FALL GUY; COMBAT; MOD SQUAD; THE ROCKFORD FILES; STAR TREK; CHARLIE'S ANGELS; STARSKY AND HUTCH; BARETTA; MANNIX; MISSION IMPOSSIBLE; THE WILD WILD WEST; and dozens of other television shows used his screenplays. For some time, he was also "line producer" on Charlie's Angels, and even used some of his own original music in some of the episodes.
He wrote several screenplays and at least three stage musicals: OH, NELLIE, a melodrama for the little western style theatre in West Yellowstone; VINCENT, THE MUSICAL, a stage production at a small theatre in Hollywood; and WATERGATE, which he wrote with a co-author.
In 1953, he married his small town sweetheart, Ruth Louise Laird. Together they had 2 children, both girls. The marriage lasted until about 1961. His eldest daughter worked with her dad for a few years, writing stories for Charlie's Angels, was successful with several different types of art, and eventually became a nun. The other daughter became an insurance professional with her own firm and then later became an attorney.
In 1967, Ed married Diane Haggin, a model, which marriage lasted until about 1975. They had no children.
In 1985, he married a third time. There were no children from that marriage.
Ed being a prolific writer, one newspaper reporter asked him, "Mr. Lakso, what is your inspiration?" to which he replied, "my bank balance!" Those depression years never left his memory, and spurred him on to work as hard and as fast as he could. Wherever he was, his yellow writing pad and pencil weren't far away.
He was devoted to his hobbies as well. The first time he went skiing, he broke his leg and also fell in love with the sport. He had learned to fly in the air force, so when he became successful, he bought himself a little 6-seater Cessna airplane and spent nearly every holiday flying up to Aspen for some good skiing. On one such trip with long-term girlfriend Kathy, the wings iced over and he had to make a crash landing in the middle of Bryce Canyon. He walked away, apparently unscathed, but an injury to the brain was detected in later years and could have been the incentive for the Parkinson's Disease that later beset him.
Eddie leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a sister, and his third wife. His first two wives preceded him in death.
I am Edward Joseph (Shea) Lakso's daughter. If you have any questions about him or this bio, please contact me.
(c) copyright 2015
All rights reserved. Biography may not be
used for any purpose without express written
permission.
Silver "Rose" Parnell
Edward was born Edward Joseph Shea III to Victoria Rene (Chiarle) Shea and Edward Joseph Shea II in San Francisco during the Great Depression. Edward Sr. was one of a long line of Sheas from County Cork, Ireland, that had settled in San Francisco in the 1860's. Victoria Rene was a first generation American whose parents had emigrated from a small village in the mountains of Northern Italy called Balengero.
The marriage did not last long, and Victoria Rene was hard pressed to feed herself and her child in those awful depression years. Then she met Wayne Jalo Lakso, who was very kind to her and protective of her, and they had a happy marriage of many years, having 4 additional children.
Little Eddie Shea eventually took the name of his stepfather and became known as Ed Lakso.
A remarkable talent for music, singing and writing marked him as a star from the very beginning of his life. He could compose an entire orchestral piece on paper without ever picking up an instrument. He could sing anything, including opera.
He started writing for movies and television on a fluke. A friend of a friend needed a screenplay FAST, and Ed wrote it in 3 days. Speed and quality were to become expected of him in his career as a writer, and he did not disappoint.
He was prolific from the start. AIRWOLF; THE FALL GUY; COMBAT; MOD SQUAD; THE ROCKFORD FILES; STAR TREK; CHARLIE'S ANGELS; STARSKY AND HUTCH; BARETTA; MANNIX; MISSION IMPOSSIBLE; THE WILD WILD WEST; and dozens of other television shows used his screenplays. For some time, he was also "line producer" on Charlie's Angels, and even used some of his own original music in some of the episodes.
He wrote several screenplays and at least three stage musicals: OH, NELLIE, a melodrama for the little western style theatre in West Yellowstone; VINCENT, THE MUSICAL, a stage production at a small theatre in Hollywood; and WATERGATE, which he wrote with a co-author.
In 1953, he married his small town sweetheart, Ruth Louise Laird. Together they had 2 children, both girls. The marriage lasted until about 1961. His eldest daughter worked with her dad for a few years, writing stories for Charlie's Angels, was successful with several different types of art, and eventually became a nun. The other daughter became an insurance professional with her own firm and then later became an attorney.
In 1967, Ed married Diane Haggin, a model, which marriage lasted until about 1975. They had no children.
In 1985, he married a third time. There were no children from that marriage.
Ed being a prolific writer, one newspaper reporter asked him, "Mr. Lakso, what is your inspiration?" to which he replied, "my bank balance!" Those depression years never left his memory, and spurred him on to work as hard and as fast as he could. Wherever he was, his yellow writing pad and pencil weren't far away.
He was devoted to his hobbies as well. The first time he went skiing, he broke his leg and also fell in love with the sport. He had learned to fly in the air force, so when he became successful, he bought himself a little 6-seater Cessna airplane and spent nearly every holiday flying up to Aspen for some good skiing. On one such trip with long-term girlfriend Kathy, the wings iced over and he had to make a crash landing in the middle of Bryce Canyon. He walked away, apparently unscathed, but an injury to the brain was detected in later years and could have been the incentive for the Parkinson's Disease that later beset him.
Eddie leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a sister, and his third wife. His first two wives preceded him in death.
I am Edward Joseph (Shea) Lakso's daughter. If you have any questions about him or this bio, please contact me.
(c) copyright 2015
All rights reserved. Biography may not be
used for any purpose without express written
permission.
Silver "Rose" Parnell
The marriage did not last long, and Victoria Rene was hard pressed to feed herself and her child in those awful depression years. Then she met Wayne Jalo Lakso, who was very kind to her and protective of her, and they had a happy marriage of many years, having 4 additional children.
Little Eddie Shea eventually took the name of his stepfather and became known as Ed Lakso.
A remarkable talent for music, singing and writing marked him as a star from the very beginning of his life. He could compose an entire orchestral piece on paper without ever picking up an instrument. He could sing anything, including opera.
He started writing for movies and television on a fluke. A friend of a friend needed a screenplay FAST, and Ed wrote it in 3 days. Speed and quality were to become expected of him in his career as a writer, and he did not disappoint.
He was prolific from the start. AIRWOLF; THE FALL GUY; COMBAT; MOD SQUAD; THE ROCKFORD FILES; STAR TREK; CHARLIE'S ANGELS; STARSKY AND HUTCH; BARETTA; MANNIX; MISSION IMPOSSIBLE; THE WILD WILD WEST; and dozens of other television shows used his screenplays. For some time, he was also "line producer" on Charlie's Angels, and even used some of his own original music in some of the episodes.
He wrote several screenplays and at least three stage musicals: OH, NELLIE, a melodrama for the little western style theatre in West Yellowstone; VINCENT, THE MUSICAL, a stage production at a small theatre in Hollywood; and WATERGATE, which he wrote with a co-author.
In 1953, he married his small town sweetheart, Ruth Louise Laird. Together they had 2 children, both girls. The marriage lasted until about 1961. His eldest daughter worked with her dad for a few years, writing stories for Charlie's Angels, was successful with several different types of art, and eventually became a nun. The other daughter became an insurance professional with her own firm and then later became an attorney.
In 1967, Ed married Diane Haggin, a model, which marriage lasted until about 1975. They had no children.
In 1985, he married a third time. There were no children from that marriage.
Ed being a prolific writer, one newspaper reporter asked him, "Mr. Lakso, what is your inspiration?" to which he replied, "my bank balance!" Those depression years never left his memory, and spurred him on to work as hard and as fast as he could. Wherever he was, his yellow writing pad and pencil weren't far away.
He was devoted to his hobbies as well. The first time he went skiing, he broke his leg and also fell in love with the sport. He had learned to fly in the air force, so when he became successful, he bought himself a little 6-seater Cessna airplane and spent nearly every holiday flying up to Aspen for some good skiing. On one such trip with long-term girlfriend Kathy, the wings iced over and he had to make a crash landing in the middle of Bryce Canyon. He walked away, apparently unscathed, but an injury to the brain was detected in later years and could have been the incentive for the Parkinson's Disease that later beset him.
Eddie leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a sister, and his third wife. His first two wives preceded him in death.
I am Edward Joseph (Shea) Lakso's daughter. If you have any questions about him or this bio, please contact me.
(c) copyright 2015
All rights reserved. Biography may not be
used for any purpose without express written
permission.
Silver "Rose" Parnell
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