Bill Burnett (writer)

Lore & Background

Burnett's earliest career success was working with Patti LuPone and other Broadway talents in 1984 on 'Hip Pocket Musicals', a pilot for PBS. He also starred as political folksinger Phil Ochs in a play (Small Circle of Friends) and later a documentary film (Chords of Fame). LuPone covered 'I Regret Everything', a song Burnett wrote with Peggy Sarlin, which has been covered by over 60 performers, most notably Bette Midler.

Burnett's career as a singer/songwriter took off when he and then-wife Suzy Williams formed a duo as The Boners in 1986. They performed regularly at Heather Woodbury's Cafe Bustelo in New York City and played with They Might Be Giants. Their style culminated in 'Our Show' at the West Beth Theater, and they had a radio show for kids called 'The Flying Kitchen'. In 2004, Burnett and Williams joined with Ginger Smith and Kahlil Sabbagh to expand The Boners into The Backboners.

Burnett later worked at Fred/Alan, Inc., where he became Creative Director and generated campaigns for MTV, Nick-at-Nite, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central. He came up with the name Comedy Central and wrote its original branding document. He followed Fred Seibert to Hanna-Barbera as VP Creative Director, creating campaigns for Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. He wrote the theme song and three songs for Cave Kids, and became Head Writer/Story Editor for Cow and Chicken, writing the musical episode 'The Ugliest Weenie' and the banned episode 'Buffalo Gals'. At Nickelodeon, he co-created ChalkZone, which premiered with the highest ratings for a new show in the network's history at the time.

Reader's Guide

Bill Burnett's significance lies in his multifaceted contributions to children's television and animation. As co-creator of ChalkZone, he helped produce a show that achieved record ratings for Nickelodeon and maintained a passionate following over five years. His work at Hanna-Barbera supported iconic series like Dexter's Lab and Powerpuff Girls, and his tenure as Head Writer on Cow and Chicken included both celebrated and controversial episodes. Burnett also shaped cable television branding by naming Comedy Central and creating satirical campaigns for MTV and Nickelodeon. His musical work, including the widely covered song 'I Regret Everything' and his band the Backboners, demonstrates a parallel career in performance. His legacy includes a range of animated shorts and series, from The Electric Piper to contributions on Curious George, reflecting a career that bridged writing, music, and production across multiple networks.

Did You Know?

• Burnett co-created ChalkZone with Larry Huber, and its premiere had the highest ratings for a new show in Nickelodeon's history at the time.
• He came up with the name Comedy Central and wrote its original branding document.
• He wrote the only Cow and Chicken episode to be banned from regular network play, 'Buffalo Gals'.
• His song 'I Regret Everything', co-written with Peggy Sarlin, has been covered by over 60 performers, most notably Bette Midler.

Early Broadway Roots and a Song That Outlived Its Author

Bill Burnett first made his mark in the mid-1980s through a collaboration with Patti LuPone and a dozen other prominent Broadway performers on Hip Pocket Musicals, a pilot for a series of short musicals produced for PBS in 1984. His creative partnership with Peggy Sarlin during that project yielded "I Regret Everything," a playful send-up of Edith Piaf's "Je Ne Regret Rien," which LuPone herself recorded. The song went on to be covered by more than sixty performers worldwide, with Bette Midler among the most notable interpreters. Burnett has affectionately labeled it "the world's most obscure hit." Beyond songwriting, he portrayed political folksinger Phil Ochs in the stage production Small Circle of Friends and later in the documentary Chords of Fame, a film that gathered a remarkable roster of 1960s activists and protest musicians. These early experiences established him as a versatile artist comfortable moving between theater, music, and television, laying the groundwork for the eclectic career that would follow.

From The Boners to The Backboners: A Singer-Songwriter's Journey

In 1986, Burnett and his then-wife Suzy Williams formed the duo The Boners, building a regular following at Heather Woodbury's Cafe Bustelo in New York City. Their sound blended witty neo-cabaret folk-rock with melodic sensibility, and they even shared a stage with They Might Be Giants in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The pair's live showcase "Our Show" at the West Beth Theater became a highlight of their early years, while their children's radio program The Flying Kitchen found an audience on New York City airwaves. They also toured alongside James Sewall and Sally Rousse as part of The New York Song and Dance Ensemble, performing at the prestigious Lincoln Center. A remarkable streak of consistency saw them returning to the Sweet Chariot Music and Arts Festival on Swans Island, Maine, every single year since 1986. In 2004, Burnett and Williams expanded the project by welcoming married couple Ginger Smith and Kahlil Sabbagh into the fold, rebranding as The Backboners. The four-voice harmony of the new lineup drew comparisons to The Mamas & the Papas, and the group continues to perform as a Los Angeles-based band, with Burnett serving as lead vocalist.

ChalkZone and the Nickelodeon Era

Burnett's path into children's television began at Fred/Alan, Inc., the irreverent advertising agency run by Fred Seibert and Alan Goodman, where he started as a freelance writer before rising to Creative Director. In that role, he crafted satirical campaigns for MTV, Nick-at-Nite, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, and notably came up with the name Comedy Central itself, penning its original branding document. He followed Seibert to Hollywood, becoming VP Creative Director at Hanna-Barbera, where he supported breakthrough animated series like Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. He also wrote the theme and three special songs for Cave Kids and served as Head Writer and Story Editor on Cartoon Network's Cow and Chicken, contributing stories, songs, and the memorable two-part musical "The Ugliest Weenie." His most celebrated achievement came in 2002 when, alongside veteran animator Larry Huber, he co-created ChalkZone for Nickelodeon's Oh Yeah! Cartoons anthology. Based on his concept of an alternate world hidden behind a chalkboard, the show's premiere set a network record for new-show ratings at the time and sustained strong viewership and a devoted fan base over five seasons.

A Prolific Creative Beyond the Chalkboard

ChalkZone was far from Burnett's only contribution to the Oh Yeah! Cartoons universe. He co-created or developed several other shorts, including "Hobart," "Jelly's Day" (with Greg Emison), "Tutu the Superina" (with prima ballerina Sally Rousse), "What Is Funny?" (with Vince Waller), and "The Feelers." Across these projects he wrote all stories and musical numbers while also providing singing and acting voices on numerous episodes. He additionally scripted, composed, and lyricized The Electric Piper, a feature-length animated reimagining of the Pied Piper legend commissioned by Nickelodeon. In 2005 he returned for the spinoff Random! Cartoons, creating "Dr. Froyd's Funny Farm" with Jaime Diaz and composing scores for "Hornswiggle" and "Gaucho Pampa." After leaving Nickelodeon, his writing credits expanded to include the PBS/Universal production Curious George (earning an Emmy citation), Danger Rangers, Guardians of the Power Masks, Woody Woodpecker, Casper, and a web series featuring singing dolls. This breadth of output underscores his identity as a true multi-hyphenate creative, seamlessly shifting between composer, writer, producer, singer, and actor across decades and media.