Leon Marcus Uris was born August 3, 1924 in Baltimore Maryland. His parents were Wolf William Uris, a Polish immigrant, a paper hanger and later became a shop owner, and Anna Uris, a first generation American. Leon did poorly in school and never graduated high school. He joined the United States Marine Corp when he was only 17, serving from 1942 until 1945. He met and married Marine Sergeant, Betty Beck, in 1945.
Leon started writing stories as a child but remained unpublished until 1950, when an article he wrote was bought by Esquire Magazine. That started him writing full time. His first novel was published in 1953 an after being rejected nine times, became a best seller.
Leon worked as a war correspondent in 1956, covering the Arab-Israeli fighting. The book Exodus, published in 1958, came about from these events. The book was made into a movie and later a musical. He also authored several screen plays during his career.
Leon and Betty divorced in 1965. He was remarried in 1968 to Margery Edwards, but she died a year later. In 1970 he married photographer, Jill Peabody. They had two children, but divorced in 1989.
Leon Uris became a prolific public speaker and from1959-1993 spoke mostly on Jewish causes at on University campuses.
Leon died on June 21, 2003.
Books by Leon Uris: Novels:
Battle Cry
(1953)The Angry Hills (1955)
Exodus (1958)
Exodus Revisited (1960)
Mila 18 (1961)
Armageddon (1963)
Topaz (1967)
The Third Temple (1967)
QB VII (1970)
Trinity (1976)
The Haj
(1984)Mitla Pass (1988)
Redemption (1995)
A God in Ruins
(1999)O’Hara’s Choice (2003)
Omnibus:
Three Great Novels of World II(1996) (Thomas Heggen, James A Michener)
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