James Lee Barrett was born on November 19, 1929 in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Smokey and the Bandit (1977), The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) and In the Heat of the Night (1988). He died on October 15, 1989 in Templeton, California, USA.n the The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) a sign hung in the lobby listing the names of the girls who worked the club. For years after the film was released, that sign hung in his home as a memento. Won Broadway's 1975 Tony Award, along with collaborators Peter Udell and Philip Rose, as Best Book (Musical) for "Shenandoah," based on his script of an earlier film of the same title, Shenandoah (1965). Creator of the NBC series "Our House" (1986-88). Served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. American screenwriter, educated at Penn State University. Often worked with the director Stanley Kramer and at Universal. Best known for Shenandoah (1965).