Larry Gelbart | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Larry Simon Gelbart (1928-02-25)February 25, 1928 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2009(2009-09-11) (aged 81) |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery,Culver City, California |
| Other names | Francis Burns, Elsig |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1944–2009 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Rank | .svg) Sergeant |
| Unit |  Armed Forces Radio Service |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Signature | |
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Larry Simon Gelbart (February 25, 1928 – September 11, 2009)[1] was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter, director and author, most famous as a creator and producer of the television seriesM*A*S*H, and as co-writer of the Broadway musicalsA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum andCity of Angels.
Gelbart was born in Chicago, Illinois, toJewish immigrants Harry Gelbart, "a barber since his half of a childhood inLatvia,"[2] and Frieda Sturner, from what is nowDąbrowa Górnicza (Poland), who migrated to the United States. Larry Gelbart had a sister, Marcia Gelbart Walkenstein.[citation needed]
His family later moved to Los Angeles and he attendedFairfax High School. Drafted into theU.S. Army near the end ofWorld War II, Gelbart worked for theArmed Forces Radio Service in Los Angeles.[3] Attaining the rank of sergeant, Gelbart was honorably discharged after serving 1 year and 11 days. Those last 11 days prevented Gelbart from being drafted for service during theKorean War.[4]
Gelbart began as a writer at the age of sixteen forDanny Thomas'sradio show after his father, who was Thomas'sbarber, showed Thomas some jokes Gelbart had written. During the 1940s Gelbart also wrote forJack Paar andBob Hope. In the 1950s, his most important work intelevision involved writing forRed Buttons,Sid Caesar onCaesar's Hour, and inCeleste Holm'sHonestly, Celeste!, as well as with writersMel Tolkin,Michael Stewart,Selma Diamond,Neil Simon,Mel Brooks,Carl Reiner andWoody Allen on two Caesar specials.[5]
In 1972, Gelbart was one of the main forces behind the creation of the television seriesM*A*S*H, writing the pilot (for which he received a "Developed for Television by __" credit); then producing, often writing and occasionally directing the series for its first four seasons, from 1972 to 1976.M*A*S*H earned Gelbart aPeabody Award and anEmmy forOutstanding Comedy Series and went on to considerable commercial and critical success.[citation needed]
Gelbart's best known screen work is perhaps the screenplay for 1982'sTootsie, which he co-wrote withMurray Schisgal. He was nominated for an Academy Award for that script,[6] and also was Oscar-nominated for his adapted screenplay for 1977'sOh, God! starringJohn Denver andGeorge Burns. On his relationship with actor Dustin Hoffman inTootsie, Gelbart is reported to have said, "Never work with an Oscar-winner who is shorter than the statue".[7] He later retracted this statement, saying it was just a joke.[citation needed]
He collaborated with Burt Shevelove on the screenplay for the 1966 British filmThe Wrong Box. Gelbart also co-wrote the golden-era film spoofMovie Movie (1978) starringGeorge C. Scott in dual roles, the racy comedyBlame It on Rio (1984) starringMichael Caine and the 2000 remake ofBedazzled withElizabeth Hurley andBrendan Fraser. His script forRough Cut (1980), a caper film starringBurt Reynolds,Lesley-Anne Down andDavid Niven, was credited under the pseudonym Francis Burns.[citation needed]
Gelbart-scripted films for television includedBarbarians at the Gate (1993), a true story about the battle for control of theRJR Nabisco corporation starringJames Garner that was based onthe best-selling book of that name; the original comedyWeapons of Mass Distraction (1997) starringBen Kingsley andGabriel Byrne as rival media moguls; andAnd Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003) starringAntonio Banderas as the Mexican revolutionary leader.[citation needed]
Gelbart co-wrote the long-runningBroadwaymusical farceA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum withBurt Shevelove andStephen Sondheim in 1962. After the show received poor reviews and box-office returns during its previews in Washington, D.C., rewrites and restaging helped; it was a smash Broadway hit and ran for 964 performances. Its book won aTony Award. In a 1991 published edition of the musical, Gelbart wrote "it remains for me the best piece of work I've been lucky enough to see my name on." A film version starringZero Mostel and directed byRichard Lester, was released in 1966. Gelbart was critical of the movie, as most of his and Shevelove'slibretto was largely rewritten.
Gelbart's other Broadway credits include the musicalCity of Angels, which won him theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, theTony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and anEdgar Award and an off-Broadway musical,In The Beginning, a satirical take on the Bible, with music and lyrics byMaury Yeston. He also wrote theIran-ContrasatireMastergate, as well asSly Fox and a musical adaptation of thePreston Sturges movieHail the Conquering Hero, whose grueling development inspired Gelbart to utter what evolved into the classic quip, "IfHitler is alive, I hope he's out of town with a musical."[8]
In 1997, Gelbart published his memoir,Laughing Matters: On Writing M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God! and a Few Other Funny Things.[2]
Gelbart was a contributing blogger atThe Huffington Post, and also was a regular participant on the alt.tv.mashUsenet newsgroup as "Elsig". (His user name was derived fromEl for Larry,si for Simon andg for Gelbart.)
In 1995, a Golden Palm Star on thePalm Springs, California,Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[9]
He won a Tony Award for the book ofA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
He won a Tony Award for the book ofCity of Angels.
He won anEmmy Award forOutstanding Comedy Series in 1974 forM*A*S*H.
In 2002, Gelbart was inducted into theAmerican Theatre Hall of Fame.[10]
In 2008, he was inducted into theTelevision Hall of Fame.[11]
Gelbart was diagnosed withcancer in June and died at his Beverly Hills home on September 11, 2009, aged 81. His wife of 53 years,Pat Gelbart, said that after being married for so long, "we finished each other's sentences." She declined to specify the type of cancer he had.[1][12] He was interred at theHillside Memorial Park Cemetery inCulver City, California.[13]
The following is a list ofM*A*S*H episodes (42 Total) written and/or directed by Gelbart.
