In this March 7, 2008 file photo, writer/producer Sherwood Schwartz receives a kiss from actresses Florence Henderson, left, and Dawn Wells during a ceremony where Schwartz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles
He created the story of a lovely lady and her very lovely girls on The Brady Bunch, as well as the tale of the shipwrecked “three-hour tour” on Gilligan’s Island. TV legend Sherwood Schwartz has died today at age 94. (via Tuned In)
Schwartz, an Emmy Award-winning television writer and producer, died early Tuesday morning at Cedars Sinai Medical Center after suffering from an intestinal infection and undergoing numerous surgeries, his great niece Robin Randall told the Associated Press.
Schwartz began his career in show business by writing for Bob Hope’s radio show in 1939, and from there moved on to write for The Red Skelton Show, for which he won an Emmy in 1961.
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But of course, it was Gilligan’s Island, which aired from 1964 to 1967, and The Brady Bunch, which enjoyed a run from 1969 to 1974, that cemented Schwartz’s place in television history. While the critics were never a fan of either series, the jokes and unforgettable characters seemed to stick with the audiences, making them some of the most iconic and widely popular television shows that have ever aired.
Schwartz’s comedic writing wasn’t his only talent. In fact, he also wrote and produced catchy theme songs for both shows, which have been memorized and recited for generations.
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