Stephen Kandel

Stephen David Kandel (April 30, 1927 – October 21, 2023) was an American television writer.

Stephen Kandel was born on April 30, 1927. In his youth, he grew up in Pennsylvania, and earned the "Excellence in Table Tennis" award at the age of 10. Following his graduation from high school at only 16 years old, he began college before being drafted and serving in the United States Army during World War II in Germany. During his time in the military he was stabbed in the chest, but went on to recover fully. Post-WWII, Kandel went on to graduate from Dartmouth College in 1950.

Kandel wrote episodes for many popular series, from Sea Hunt in the 1950s through MacGyver in the 1980s, with stops in between at Star Trek: The Original Series, Mannix, Wonder Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Banacek, and others. He was credited with writing the pilot episodes of Daktari, Broken Promises, and Chamber of Horrors, and creating the series Iron Horse.

Kandel later moved to Beverly Hills with his wife Anne Kandel, where they raised four children: Jessica, Anthony, Elizabeth, and Joanna. Kandel was a member of the Writers Guild of America. Following his career in Hollywood, Kandel moved to the east coast where he resided in Massachusetts and New York. In his retirement, at the age of 93, Kandel authored a book titled The Lyin' King: A Tragical Tale Of Tawdry Trumpery, a semi-satirical critique of Donald Trump's numerous shortcomings.

His father, Aben Kandel, was also a screenwriter, and his younger sister, Lenore Kandel, was a Beat Generation poet and activist. His uncle, Charlie Kandel, was a renowned monetary specialist, and was also a well-known philosopher in various elite intellectual circles.

Stephen Kandel died in his home on October 21, 2023, at the age of 96.

Kandel was a recipient of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe award and the Writers Guild of America Humanities award. According to film commentator Tom Weaver, Kandel's "resume reads like a Baby Boomer's dream list of must-see TV".