‘War Of The Worlds’ Scriptwriter Dies

Howard Koch, who wrote the radio script for “War of the Worlds” and won an Academy Award for the screenplay of “Casablanca,” died Thursday at age 93.

Koch shared the 1943 Oscar for best screenplay with Julius and Philip Epstein.

His other screen credits include “Sergeant York” (1941); “The Sea Hawk” (1942); “Mission to Moscow” (1943); “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946); and “Letter From an Unknown Woman” (1948).

In 1951, Koch was blacklisted in Hollywood in the wake of the House Un-American Activities Committee’s investigation into alleged Communist influence in the film industry.