Week of July 15: Remembering Schwartz and Denoff

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Sherwood Schwartz and Sam Denoff were two people who captured the formula to make people laugh during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Schwartz was the better known of the pair because he created "Gilligan's Island," which perfectly corresponded to the sillier notions of '60s comedy, and "The Brady Bunch," which became a family favorite, then a cult favorite because of the changing fashions, the groovy lingo and the situations.

Schwartz began as a writer for the comedy series "I Married Joan," then wrote for Red Skelton's comedy shows. Then he came up with an idea for a boat captain and his mate out on a three-hour pleasure cruise with five tourists.

The result was television history. "Gilligan's Island" ran on CBS from 1964-67 and immortalized its cast and the characters they played - as well as Schwartz. This writer still believes that show inspired the ABC hit "Lost."

Schwartz came up with an idea for a show about a blended family even before the success of the 1968 movie "Yours, Mine and Ours," which was based on a true story. That movie is what prompted the green light for Schwartz to develop what became "The Brady Bunch."

The show ran on ABC from 1969-74 and was particularly popular among teenagers and young children. It evolved from blended family issues to campiness - which has helped it gain a cult following (including follow-up specials and two feature films) in subsequent years.

Sam Denoff was not as well known as Schwartz, but probably more prolific in his talent. He came out of the "Your Show of Shows" writing stable and wrote for programs such as "McHale's Navy" before he put his experience on "Your Show of Shows" to work as a writer for "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

In 1966, Denoff and Bill Persky created "That Girl," a landmark sitcom. Running on ABC until 1971, the show starred Marlo Thomas as aspiring actress Ann Marie. It was considered the springboard to more feminist shows such as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Murphy Brown."

Here's something fun: A look at the unaired pilot of "That Girl." Ted Bessell, who of course would play Ann's boyfriend, journalist Donald Hollinger, throughout the series, was originally cast as her agent, named Donald Blue Sky (!) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHFkbwwbbVs

It wasn't the last time Harold Gould, who lost the role of Ann's dad to Lew Parker, would be in this situation: He played Howard Cunningham in the "Love, American Style" episode that led to the creation of "Happy Days." Rosemary DeCamp would play Ann's mother in the series.

All of Schwartz and Denoff's principal shows are available on DVD. Here's to their work.

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!