Trivia

The short stories and one novel that he published in the 1940s provided the source material for three of the television series he created: 77 Sunset Strip (1958), The Rockford Files (1974), and City of Angels (1976).

Denied, until his death, that The Fugitive (1963) was based on the Samuel Sheppard murder case. Instead, he maintained that the series was a modern-day "Les Miserables", with "Dr. Kimble" in the "Jean Valjean" role and "Lt. Gerard" as "Javert".

According to a story that made the rounds in the early '60s, one day Huggins called to his wife, Adele Mara, to come into their bedroom and take his photograph. When she arrived with the camera and asked why, he replied, "Because I just had the greatest idea ever for a TV series [The Fugitive (1963)] and I want to preserve the moment". He framed the photo and hung it over his desk for his entire career.

Wrote about 350 scripts for television and film.

Joined the Communist Party in 1939 and left it in 1940. In 1952 he was called before the House UnAmerican Activites Committee and was a cooperative witness, naming 19 other CP members. Those 19 had already been named by previous witnesses.

Father-in-law of Penelope Ann Miller.

Had written under 12 pseudonyms throughout his career. His main writing pseudonym, John Thomas James, is a composite of the names of his three sons with second wife Adele Mara.

Stu Bailey, the main character on 77 Sunset Strip (1958), originally appeared in Huggins' novel "The Double Take" (1946).

Screenwriter at RKO and Columbia (1948-55). Joined first Warner Brothers, then 20th Century-Fox television divisions (where he created Cheyenne (1955) and Maverick (1957)). Had his best spell with Quinn Martin Productions/United Artists from 1963 (creating The Fugitive (1963)). The same year, he became vice-president of Universal Television. One of the most prolific and successful television writer-producers, his output during the 1970s included the underrated City of Angels (1976), the off-beat Alias Smith and Jones (1971) and the ever-popular The Rockford Files (1974).

The name "Roy Huggins" was listed as one who died in an explosion in the ledger of the "Comstock Personnel" on the Maverick (1957) episode, Comstock Conspiracy (1957).

Employed by the US Civil Service Commission during World War II.

Graduated summa cum laude from UCLA.

Brother-in-law of Luis Delgado.

Children from first marriage: Katherine Crawford and Bret. Children from second marriage to Adele Mara: John Huggins, Thomas Huggins and James Patrick Huggins.

Father-in-law of Frank Price.