Sherwood Schwartz

Writer, producer
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Sherwood Schwartz

Writer, producer

November 14

Passaic, New Jersey

July 12, 2011

Sherwood Schwartz was an American television producer.

He worked on radio shows in the 1940s, and created the television series Gilligan's Island on CBS and The Brady Bunch on ABC.

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. 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.

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, and wrote the theme songs for both shows.

On March 7, 2008, Schwartz, at the time still active in his 90s, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sherwood Schwartz was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2008.

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