Stirling Silliphant
The writer who merged two rival novels into the highest-grossing film of 1974.
Stirling Silliphant was the screenwriter responsible for adapting two competing disaster novels into the single film The Towering Inferno. Announced in April 1973, Warner Bros. initially purchased rights to Richard Martin Stern's The Tower for $350,000. However, Irwin Allen later discovered Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson's The Glass Inferno, which shared the same locale and conclusion. Silliphant was tasked with merging these distinct stories into one cohesive script. He drew incidents and character names from both books to create a project that united Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox.
- Role
- Screenwriter
- Key Film
- The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Source Material
- Novels The Tower by Richard Martin Stern and The Glass Inferno by Thomas N. Scor
Lore & Background
Silliphant faced a unique challenge when Irwin Allen worried that twin films about a burning skyscraper might cannibalize each other, citing failed biopic examples from the 1960s. To prevent this, Allen persuaded both studios to join forces, issuing a joint press release in October 1973. Silliphant, who had previously written The Poseidon Adventure for Allen, was chosen to write the unified script. He combined elements from Stern's The Tower and Scortia and Robinson's The Glass Inferno. The collaboration split costs equally between the studios, with production based at Fox. This merger allowed Silliphant to craft a narrative featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen.
In Their Own Story
The development of the script involved significant financial maneuvering before Silliphant began writing. Columbia Pictures dropped out of the bidding war for The Tower when the price reached $200,000, while Warner Bros. offered $390,000 (reported as $350,000 initially). Fox then acquired rights to The Glass Inferno for a reported fee of $400,000. With both properties secured, Silliphant integrated the storylines to avoid duplication while maximizing dramatic potential. His work resulted in a film that premiered on December 16, 1974, earning around $203.3 million and becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.
Reader's Guide
Silliphant's adaptation process required careful selection from two separate source texts. He took specific incidents and character names from both novels to flesh out the world of The Glass Tower. While the script was a collaborative effort between studio executives, Silliphant provided the narrative backbone that connected characters like Doug Roberts, James Duncan, and Roger Simmons. His writing balanced technical details about electrical failures with human drama during the dedication ceremony. The resulting screenplay earned eight Academy Award nominations, winning three including Best Editing, proving the effectiveness of his merged approach to disaster storytelling.
Did You Know?
- Silliphant had previously written the script for The Poseidon Adventure, another major disaster film produced by Irwin Allen.
- The studios issued a joint press release in October 1973 to announce their single-film collaboration after Silliphant was hired.
- Silliphant incorporated incidents and character names from both source novels into the final screenplay.
- The total production cost for the film, which utilized Silliphant's script, was US$14 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Stirling Silliphant in relation to Die Hard?
Stirling Silliphant has no connection to the Die Hard franchise; he was a screenwriter famous for merging two disaster novels into The Towering Inferno. Fans often confuse him due to his work on major action films from the same era, but he did not write any Die Hard scripts.
What role did Stirling Silliphant play in film history?
He was tasked with combining Richard Martin Stern's 'The Tower' and Scortia/Robinson's 'The Glass Inferno' into a single cohesive screenplay. This unique adaptation resulted in The Towering Inferno, which became the highest-grossing film of 1974.
Why is Stirling Silliphant sometimes mentioned alongside Die Hard discussions?
He is occasionally brought up by fans comparing classic disaster movies to action thrillers like Die Hard because both genres feature heroes trapped in burning or collapsing buildings. However, his actual work focuses entirely on the 1974 fire disaster film rather than the Nakatomi Plaza siege.
Did Stirling Silliphant write any sequels for The Towering Inferno?
No, he did not write a sequel to The Towering Inferno, nor was there an official continuation of that specific story arc. His legacy remains defined by his one-time achievement of uniting two competing novel rights into a single blockbuster.
How does Stirling Silliphant's career end in the context of action cinema?
His career concluded with several other dramatic and disaster projects, but he never ventured into the high-octane terrorist siege style that defines Die Hard. He is remembered primarily as the architect behind the massive ensemble cast of The Towering Inferno.
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