Jacob Herman Mankiewicz (7 November 1897, New York – 5 March 1953, Hollywood, California) is one of the most legendary Hollywood writers remembered, inter alia, by his acid and cynical humor (was able joke on the rear Jack l. Warner in his presence, being one of the most powerful – and quick-tempered – producing Hollywood), his genius and his notorious alcoholism. His best-known work is co-screenwriter in Citizen Kane (a recreation of the life of William Randolph Hearst) along with Orson Welles, by which won an Academy Award for best screenplay (film is seen by critics as the best ever), although there is much discussion of how far the hyphen is shared or is mostly the work of Mankiewicz. Also participated in other scripts, such as the original version of gentlemen prefer blondes or The Pride of the Yankees, and was producer in many films of the Marx Brothers. Mankiewicz career declined because of his alcoholism and went through numerous clinics of detoxification, some of whom he wrote some of his scripts. He died of kidney failure.

He was educated at Columbia University and the Berlin. It was the older brother of Joseph l. Mankiewicz.