The man who was recently found dead in a LA hiking area has been identified as celebrity author William Hasley.
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According to the New York Post, Hasley was found dead in Runyon Canyon on June 6. Although the air rescuers attempted to save him, they were unsuccessful.
“LAFD Air Operations lowered rescuers to the patient, and medical treatment was administered,” an LAFD spokesperson shared.
Officials announced Hasley died at the scene. The cause of death has not been revealed. He was 78 years old.
Hasley was known as a longtime friend and ghostwriter of former reality TV star/Olympian Caitlyn Jenner. He wrote Jenner’s book Finding the Champion Within for Simon & Schuster. The self-help book focused on Jenner’s professional athletic accomplishments and outlined a 10-step program to “reboot” readers’ lives. It was published in 1996.
In his biography, Hasley stated that he and Jenner became “fast friends” while working on an Olympics-related project. Jenner later commissioned him to write the self-help book.
He was previously married to The Bold and the Beautiful star Robin Riker.
Hasley Worked As a Screenwriter and UCLA Professor
Along with his and Jenner’s projects, Hasley was also known for his screenwriting television work. His credits include Ghost Stories, Swift Justice, Murder, She Wrote, and Young Riders.
Hasley worked at Universal where he developed the pilot Brooklyn District. He did screenplays for Warner Bros, Logo Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox. The writer also worked at UCLA.
“As your instructor, my goal is to help you develop your own distinct style into a concise and creative screenplay for today’s ever-changing marketplace,” Hasley shared in his instructor statement for the university. “Let’s turn your dreams into reality. In my class, only you can limit yourself. I hope to form a camaraderie among my students so you will feel safe enough to fall flat on your pages, then pick them up, and improve on what you have already written.”
He then added, “There is nothing more thrilling than touching another with the words you have written. I challenge you to challenge yourself.”