Sherwood Schwartz (1916-2011)

Hollywood is mourning the loss of a television icon tonight.

Sherwood Schwartz, who began his career as a writer for Bob Hope on radio before creating a pair of iconic sitcoms in the 60's & 70's, passed away earlier today at 94.

After writing for Hope as well as Alan Young on radio and on television for Red Skelton, Schwartz struck gold in 1964 with Gilligan's Island. Oh, I'm sure you know the theme song by heart, nearly 50 years later.



Gilligan would continue on with 2 animated series and 3 made-for-TV movies. TBS tried to revamp the entire concept with a lame reality show, The Real Gilligan's Island, a few years ago, which, predictably, flopped. Series star Bob Denver would team with Schwartz again in 1973 on the syndicated Dusty's Trail, this time set in the Old West, with Denver in the title role, playing opposite Forrest Tucker (ex-F-Troop). Trail lasted one season.

In 1969, Schwartz created another classic series, The Brady Bunch, which spent 6 seasons on ABC, and spawned an animated spin-off, The Brady Kids, in 1972. Both series were gone after the 1973-74 season, but, as we all know, Schwartz struck a deal with Sid & Marty Krofft to put the Bradys in a variety series, which, understandably, failed.

And, then, there's the theme song:



I should point out that Schwartz composed the themes to both Gilligan and Brady Bunch, adding to his legend. In the 80's, the Brady franchise experienced a rebirth, starting with a TV-movie, which led to the spin-off series, The Brady Brides, whose theme song was derived from the original series' theme. Both Gilligan and the Brides ended up on NBC. Around this same time, Schwartz also produced a TV-movie that didn't quite click, "The Invisible Woman", reuniting Schwartz one more time with Bob Denver. The Bradys would be the last link in the franchise's TV chain in the winter of 1990, and airing on CBS.

In addition, Schwartz landed one other series for NBC, an adaptation of the country hit, Harper Valley, PTA, produced by Universal as a comeback vehicle for Barbara Eden (ex-I Dream of Jeannie). That lasted two seasons before fading.

Schwartz produced two other series for CBS, It's About Time, which joined Gilligan on the schedule, and Together We Stand, a 1986 entry with Eliott Gould. His first series for NBC was the Saturday morning entry, Big John, Little John, which starred "Cousin Oliver" himself, Robbie Rist. That, too, lasted just 1 season. Proof that not everything Schwartz touched turned to gold, but the imagination that fueled his ideas was, in fact, quite vibrant.

Rest in peace, sir. You will be missed.