Alan Trustman, Screenwriter of ‘Bullitt’ and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ Dies at 95

Alan Trustman, the screenwriter behind the iconic 1968 films Bullitt and The Thomas Crown Affair, passed away on February 5, 2026, in a Miami nursing home. He was 95 years old. His son, John Trustman, confirmed his death to The New York Times.

From Lawyer to Hollywood Screenwriter

Trustman’s journey to Hollywood was unconventional. In 1967, he was a corporate lawyer at a Boston firm, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, but harbored a desire to write for the screen. “I knew I could never write a book. But maybe I could write a movie,” he once stated, as recounted by author John Spooner. This led him to develop the idea for The Thomas Crown Affair, a stylish heist film starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway.

A Pivotal Year: 1968

1968 proved to be a landmark year for Trustman. Following the success of The Thomas Crown Affair, he co-wrote Bullitt with Harry Kleiner, adapting a 1963 novel by Robert L. Fish. He suggested Englishman Peter Yates direct the film, a recommendation that proved pivotal to its success. Both films cemented McQueen’s status as a leading man and showcased Trustman’s talent for crafting compelling thrillers.

Beyond McQueen: Expanding His Filmography

Trustman continued to work in Hollywood, co-writing They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), a sequel to In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier. He also penned screenplays for Lady Ice (1973) with Donald Sutherland and The Super Cops (1974) with Richard Pryor, and The Amsterdam Connection (1976) with Sean Connery.

Later Years and Legacy

After the 1970s, Trustman pursued other ventures, including pari-mutuel operations and currency trading. However, his contributions to cinema, particularly his work with Steve McQueen, remain his most enduring legacy. A 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Pierce Brosnan, and a currently in-development version with Michael B. Jordan demonstrate the continued appeal of his original story.

Early Life and Education

Born on December 16, 1930, in Boston, Massachusetts, Trustman attended Boston Latin School and The Phillips Exeter Academy. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1952 and earned his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1955. He was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar and briefly followed in his father’s footsteps at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, achieving partnership in six years before retiring after another six.

Alan Trustman’s unexpected transition from corporate law to screenwriting resulted in some of the most memorable films of the late 1960s and early 1970s, solidifying his place in cinematic history.