Nat Hiken
| Nat Hiken | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Nathan Hiken June 23, 1914 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | December 7, 1968 (aged 54) Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Writer, producer, director, songwriter |
Nat Hiken (June 23, 1914 – December 7, 1968) was an American radio and television writer, producer, and songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1950s.
Hiken was born on June 23, 1914, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Max Hiken. At some point, the family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin; a 1939 article in a Milwaukee newspaper referred to him as "a well known Milwaukee boy." He worked on the student newspapers at both Washington High School and the University of Wisconsin. After finishing college, he had a brief stint as a writer for United Press International.
Hiken created and wrote for The Grouch Club and wrote for Fred Allen's hit radio show.
Hiken worked for Warner Bros. as a screenwriter beginning in 1940 for the studio's short-subject films. Hiken is best known for a number of popular TV series during the 1950s and 1960s, including Car 54, Where Are You? and The Phil Silvers Show, a situation comedy set on a US Army post in which Silvers played Sergeant Ernest G. "Ernie" Bilko; the show was also often referred to as Sgt. Bilko (Hiken had originally titled it You'll Never Get Rich).
Hiken was one of TV's first writer-producers and was the head writer for NBC's Four Star Revue. He moved from radio to TV as a writer for Milton Berle's radio show, which preceded his legendary TV variety show Texaco Star Theater. As a writer for Car 54, Where Are You? and the The Phil Silvers Show, he exhibited a comic flair, and his capacity for spoofing such entities as the United States Army, the U.S. government, and police forces was exceptional. TV historians attest to Hiken's talent to create zany but lovable characters and also to his ability to draw strong comedic performances from such unlikely celebrities as boxer Rocky Graziano on NBC's The Martha Raye Show.
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