Hiker who died in Runyon Canyon ID'd as Hollywood screenwriter, pal of Caitlyn Jenner

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Authorities have identified the hiker who suffered a fatal medical emergency in Runyon Canyon as 78-year-old screenwriter William Hasley.Hasley was a veteran TV writer who taught screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension.He was also a friend of Caitlyn Jenner and helped write the former athlete’s motivational book “Finding the Champion Within,” according to his biography.The L.A.

County medical examiner released Hasley’s identity Tuesday but had yet to rule on his cause of death.More than two dozen personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a report of a hiker in grave medical condition off Nichols Canyon Road near Hollywood Boulevard shortly before 7 p.m.Saturday.

A helicopter was used to reach the patient and allow paramedics to provide urgent medical care.They were unable to save him, and he was declared dead shortly after, according to the LAFD.Hasley hailed from Pittsburgh, Penn., and played university football before venturing to Hollywood to pursue his dreams as a writer.

He wrote on 37 episodes of “The Smurfs” in the late 1980s and early ’90s as well as several episodes of “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” according to IMDB.His TV writing credits also included “Swift Justice,” “Ghost Stories,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Young Riders” and “Highway to Heaven.”He was able to channel his love of sports while working with NBC on the network’s project “Star Salute to the U.S.

Olympic Team,” where he met Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner, according to his professional biography.The pair became friends, and Hasley went on to help write a book about Jenner’s philosophy on overcoming adversity in sports and life.He was commissioned to ghostwrite several other motivational books including “Passion, Profit, & Power” for hypnotist Marshall Sylver and “The Slight Edge” for self-help expert Jeff Olson.

Hasley loved...