Sherwood Charles Schwartz was an American television producer died he was , 94. He worked on radio shows in the 1940s, and created the television series Gilligan's Island on CBS and The Brady Bunch on ABC. On March 7, 2008, Schwartz, at the time still active in his 90s, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.(November 14, 1916 – July 12, 2011)
Life and career
Schwartz's entertainment career came "by accident". He relocated from New York to southern California to pursue a master of science degree in biology. In need of employment, he began writing jokes for Bob Hope's radio program, for which Schwartz's brother, Al Schwartz, worked. Schwartz recalled that Hope "liked my jokes, used them on his show and got big laughs. Then he asked me to join his writing staff. I was faced with a major decision — writing comedy or starving to death while I cured those diseases. I made a quick career change."[3]
He went on to write for Ozzie Nelson's The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and other radio shows. Schwartz was a writer on the Armed Forces Radio Network before he got his break in television. He went on to create and produce Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch. He wrote the theme song for three of his shows: Gilligan's Island (co-wrote), It's About Time, and The Brady Bunch.Syndication turned his two major successes into TV institutions with cultural relevance. He made them icons, and as a result he became a television icon.[4]
TV appearances
During the late 1990s and the 2000s, he made many appearances on TV talking about his series, on shows such as the CBS Evening News, 20/20, TV Land's Top Ten and A&E's Biography. He also took part in a "Creators" marathon on Nick at Nite in the late 1990s.[5] He was also a guest at the 2004 TV Land Awards.In 1988, Schwartz appeared on The Late Show with Ross Shafer for a Gilligan's Island reunion, along with all seven castaways from Gilligan's Island. This was the last time they were all together on television.
Personal life
Schwartz was born in Passaic, New Jersey to a Jewish family.[6][dead link]In his 1988 book, Inside Gilligan's Island, Schwartz mentions he did not get along well with Red Skelton. In his early years as head writer, it was in his contract that Schwartz would not have to meet face-to-face with Skelton.
Pop culture references
On a Robin Hood-themed episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, a character states that Sherwood Forest is a relative of Sherwood Schwartz.Death
Filmography
Schwartz produced a number of radio and TV shows during his career.Series | Years | Job |
1938–1942 | Writer for radio version | |
1940s | Writer for radio version | |
1940s | Writer for radio version | |
1952–1955 | Writer | |
1956–1962 | Writer | |
1963 | Script supervisor | |
1964–1967 | Writer, creator, producer | |
1966–1967 | Writer, creator, producer | |
1969–1974 | Writer, creator, producer | |
1973–1974 | Writer, creator, producer | |
1976 | Producer | |
1981–1982 | Writer, producer | |
1986–1987 | Writer, producer |
Stage productions
On November 10, 2006, his play Rockers opened in Theater West in California. In 1990, he wrote Gilligan's Island: The Musical, still in production as of 2011. His son Lloyd, daughter Hope, and son-in-law Laurence Juber worked on the play as well.[citation needed]Unsold pilots
He wrote and executive produced two unsold television pilots:- Scamps (1982) — starring Bob Denver, Dreama Denver, and Joey Lawrence
- The Invisible Woman (1983) — starring Bob Denver, Alexa Hamilton, George Gobel, and Harvey Korman
Awards
- Won the 1961 Emmy Award for his writing on The Red Skelton Show.
- Was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his 2004 special Still Brady After All These Years
- On March 7, 2008, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Actresses Dawn Wells and Florence Henderson, who appeared in Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, respectively, accompanied Schwartz when he received his star.
