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Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Norman Wexler was not necessarily prolific, but he was responsible for the screenplays for some very popular films. Wexler began his professional career as a journalist, after having earned a degree from Harvard University. His film career began with Joe, which earned him his first Oscar nomination. From there, he added Serpico and Saturday Night Fever to his impressive resumé, the first of which earned him a second Academy Award nomination. He also managed to earn a cinematographer credit for the film The Kids Are Alright. Later in life, however, his professional career suffered due to his manic depression. To further exacerbate matters, in 1972 he was arrested by the FBI after announcing his plans to assassinate President Richard M. Nixon. He died from a heart attack in August 1999, at the age of 73.