Don Ettlinger, a screenwriter for film and TV, and librettist of the 1972 Broadway musical, Ambassador, died Aug. 7 in Nyack, NY, according to The New York Times.

Mr. Ettlinger was 86 and lived in Pomona, NY.

The writer shared co-librettist credit with Anna Marie Barlow when Ambassador, based on the Henry James novel, "The Ambassadors," opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1972. Prior to Broadway, Hal Hackady was the initial librettist and Mr. Ettlinger was brought in to take over the script. A London staging of the tuner was mounted in 1971. Hackady wrote the lyrics, Don Gohman the music. Howard Keel starred on Broadway.

Mr. Ettlinger co-wrote screenplays for "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (starring Shirley Temple), "Shipyard Sally" and "The Great American Broadcast." He also wrote for the TV soap operas, "Love of Life" and "The Secret Storm."

Survivors include his wife, Katrina, and daughters Karen Saks and Victoria Ettlinger, and son Mark. -- By Kenneth Jones