Hollywood Loses a Storyteller: Caitlyn Jenner's Ghostwriter William Hasley Dies at 78

William Hasley, the accomplished ghostwriter who helped shape some of Hollywood’s most memorable motivational narratives, was found dead on Runyon Canyon’s hiking trail on Saturday, June 6. The 78-year-old’s death marks the loss of a quiet but influential figure in entertainment—someone whose words powered bestsellers but whose name rarely appeared on the covers.

Hasley’s most visible connection was his decades-long friendship with Caitlyn Jenner. The two met while working on the NBC special Star Salute to the U.S. Olympic Team, and that chance encounter sparked a creative partnership that would define much of Hasley’s career. He ghostwrote Finding the Champion Within for Simon&Schuster, along with other motivational titles including Passion, Profit&Power and The Slight Edge. For someone who helped athletes and entrepreneurs find their voice on the page, there’s a certain poignancy in the fact that his own story—the full arc of his contributions—often remained behind the scenes.

But Hasley’s fingerprints on Hollywood ran deeper than one friendship. Before ghostwriting motivational books, he cut his teeth in animation, writing for The Smurfs and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids during the golden age of Saturday morning television. He was also married to The Bold and the Beautiful actress Robin Riker, further weaving his life into the entertainment fabric. More recently, he’d stepped into teaching, instructing screenwriting at UCLA Extension and challenging his students to find their own distinct voice—advice he’d clearly perfected over a lifetime of helping others find theirs.

The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed 26 personnel to the rescue effort on Runyon Canyon, lowering rescuers to attempt medical intervention, but Hasley was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause remains undisclosed, and officials noted no known medical condition or apparent injury was immediately identified. It’s a sobering reminder of how quickly a routine hike in one of LA’s most beloved outdoor spaces can turn tragic.

Hasley’s legacy lives in the books he wrote but didn’t sign, the students he mentored, and the creative relationships he nurtured—including the one that connected him to Caitlyn Jenner decades ago. He embodied a particular kind of Hollywood presence: essential, accomplished, and comfortable remaining in the background while others claimed the spotlight.