Larry Gelbart
The writer-producer who developed M*A*S*H for television and ran it for its first four seasons.
Larry Simon Gelbart (February 25, 1928 – September 11, 2009) was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter, director and author, most famous as a creator and producer of M*A*S*H. In 1972 he was one of the main forces behind the creation of the series, writing the pilot (credited as "Developed for Television by") and then producing, often writing and occasionally directing it for its first four seasons, from 1972 to 1976. M*A*S*H earned him a Peabody Award and the 1974 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. He also co-wrote the Broadway musicals A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and City of Angels, co-wrote the screenplay for Tootsie (1982), and created the spinoff AfterMASH.
Quick Facts
- Other names
- Francis Burns, Elsig
- Birth name
- Larry Simon Gelbart
- Born
- 25 February 1928
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Died
- 11 September 2009
- Place of death
- Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
- Resting place
- Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, Culver City, California
- Occupation
- TV writer
- author
- playwright
- screenwriter
- director
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Gelbart's best-known screen work is perhaps the screenplay for Tootsie (1982), co-written with Murray Schisgal.
- He won a Tony Award for the book of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
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