Author, Playwright, Screenwriter. Born in Manhattan to parents of Jewish heritage, his father was a fur manufacturer, his parents had hopes of Henry fulfilling their aspirations of his becoming a rabbi. This would not come to fruition, as he was needed to work at the age of fifteen in a shoe store to provide for his family after his father's business dissolved. He managed to attend New York University from where he attained a law degree and following a brief period in that field, he gravitated to writing and landed a position penning stories for a religious-formatted radio program called "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (the 1965 motion picture of the same title was based upon Denker's stories). Denker's later writings were greatly influenced by his enthrallment with the legal process. In 1949, he had his first novel "I'll Be Right Home, Ma" published and during this time, he initiated what would be a successful run at writing stories on several television programs, including "Lux Video Theatre" and "The United States Steel Hour." Broadway was also in his sights beginning with the courtroom drama "Time Limit." The play was made into a 1957 motion picture adaptation which starred Richard Widmark and Richard Basehart. His play "A Case of Libel" (1963 to 1964) was performed on Broadway roughly 200-times. Denker's screenplay contributions to the picture "Twilight of Honor" (1963) earned Nick Adams an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His novel "Outrage!" (1982) was made into a 1986 TV-movie. He died from lung cancer at the age of 99.
Author, Playwright, Screenwriter. Born in Manhattan to parents of Jewish heritage, his father was a fur manufacturer, his parents had hopes of Henry fulfilling their aspirations of his becoming a rabbi. This would not come to fruition, as he was needed to work at the age of fifteen in a shoe store to provide for his family after his father's business dissolved. He managed to attend New York University from where he attained a law degree and following a brief period in that field, he gravitated to writing and landed a position penning stories for a religious-formatted radio program called "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (the 1965 motion picture of the same title was based upon Denker's stories). Denker's later writings were greatly influenced by his enthrallment with the legal process. In 1949, he had his first novel "I'll Be Right Home, Ma" published and during this time, he initiated what would be a successful run at writing stories on several television programs, including "Lux Video Theatre" and "The United States Steel Hour." Broadway was also in his sights beginning with the courtroom drama "Time Limit." The play was made into a 1957 motion picture adaptation which starred Richard Widmark and Richard Basehart. His play "A Case of Libel" (1963 to 1964) was performed on Broadway roughly 200-times. Denker's screenplay contributions to the picture "Twilight of Honor" (1963) earned Nick Adams an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His novel "Outrage!" (1982) was made into a 1986 TV-movie. He died from lung cancer at the age of 99.
Bio by: C.S.
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