Remembering Sherwood Schwartz, Creator of Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch; MeTV Network's 'M*A*S*H On Me' Stunt

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Remembering Sherwood Schwartz, Creator of Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch; MeTV Network's 'MAS*H On Me' Stunt

Sherwood Schwartz, writer and creator of two beloved sitcoms from the 1960s and 1970s, Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, has died. He passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes at 4 a.m. Tuesday, July 12, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was being treated for an intestinal infection and underwent several surgeries. Mr. Schwartz was 94.

Schwartz's entertainment career began as a writer of jokes for Bob Hope's radio program, The Bob Hope Show, in 1939. He would go on to write for other radio programs in the 1940s, including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and The Alan Young Show. His television career began as a writer for I Married Joan, The Red Skelton Show (winning an Emmy Award in 1961) and My Favorite Martian. In 1964, he created Gilligan's Island, which starred Bob Denver, Alan Hale, Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. The show followed the comic adventures of seven castaways as they attempted to survive and ultimately escape from the island where they were shipwrecked. Although the show aired for only 3 seasons and 98 episodes on CBS from 1964-1967, it became a cult classic in syndication. Two animated series (The New Adventures of Gilligan and Gilligan's Planet) and three TV reunion movies (Rescue from Gilligan's Island, The Castaways on Gilligan's Island and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island) were later produced. In 1966, he created the science fiction sitcom It's About Time, which dealt with two astronauts being sent back into prehistoric days.

His next big success came with The Brady Bunch. The 1969-74 ABC sitcom starred Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb, Mike Lookinland, Susan Olsen and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family when a widow with three daughters marries a widower with three sons. Although the show was never a huge ratings or critical hit during its original primetime run, it became a cultural phenomenon in syndication over the years. The success of the show would lead to the animated series The Brady Kids, a variety series called The Brady Bunch Hour, the TV movie The Brady Girls Get Married and TV series The Brady Brides, A Very Brady Christmas TV movie, the TV dramedy The Bradys, and two theatrical movies. Schwartz's other television writing, creating and producing credits included Dusty's Trail (starring Bob Denver), Big John, Little John, Harper Valley PTA and Together We Stand. On March 7, 2008, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mr. Schwartz is survived by his wife of 69 years, Mildred Schwartz and their four children: sons Donald, Lloyd, Ross Schwartz, and daughter Hope Juber. You can watch an extensive interview with him from September 17, 1997 at The Archive of American Television. Read his farewell letter to family and fans here. We'll keep you posted if any tributes are planned. We thank him for entertaining us and bringing us so much laughter over the years. His iconic shows and those memorable theme songs will live forever. He will be greatly missed.

MeTV Network is deploying a special evening of "M*A*S*H on Me" this Sunday (July 17, 2011) saluting one of the best series produced for television. Beginning at 7/6c, five episodes from the iconic medical war series, including the pilot episode, will air. The movie, which started it all, will air at 8/7c. The episodes airing are: "Comrades in Arms (Part 1)," "Comrades in Arms (Part 2)," the feature film of M*A*S*H, "Pilot Episode," "Henry, Please Come Home" and "Abyssinia, Henry."
The TV series M*A*S*H regularly airs on MeTV Network weeknights at 7/6c and 10/9c, along with airings on Saturdays at 7/6c and Sundays at 7/6c and 11/10c.
To get ready for this mini-marathon, watch the promo.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 7

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Little Schmoozin’ and a Nose for the News" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s plan to get on the news sparks a feud between Mandy and a rival weathergirl. Meanwhile, Mandy tries to use the conflict to help her career.

Ghosts - "Gate-gate" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When an emotion‑driven decision puts Woodstone at risk, Sam and Jay step up to defend what they’ve built. Meanwhile, Isaac struggles to adjust to new surroundings, only to realize that some connections are too important to leave behind.

Animal Control - "Roosters and Moles" / "Donkeys and Weasels" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Templeton is nominated for Animal Control officer of the year, Frank sets out to rescue 24 animals in 24 hours; Victoria and Patel try to find ways to replace pet food that was destroyed in a fire.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 4)

Thursday, May 7

Molly Gordon (The Bear/Ramy) - Catch Molly on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
John Krasinksi (The Office) - John appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback/No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about The Comeback on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Casey Wilson (The Righteous Gemstones/Black Monday/The Hotwives/Marry Me/Happy Endings) and Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andy Cohen interviews Casey and Andrew on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Other Black Girl/Survival of the Thickest/The Jamie Foxx Show/Merry Happy Whatever) - NBC's Today catches up with Garcelle in the 9am hour.
Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with Julie in the 10am hour.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about Lifetime's Love, Again on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She is covering the news sunny-side up with Drew and Ross on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kellee Stewart (My Boys) - Kellee shares her fertility journey on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Regina tells Drew all about her action-packed film One Battle After Another on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Teri Hatcher (The Odd Couple/Sunday Dinner/Karen's Song/The Love Boat) - Teri is whipping up a delicious meal in the kitchen with her Desperately Devoted Podcast Co-Hosts onscreen daughter Andrea Bowen and real-life daughter Emerson Tenney on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Fabrizio Guido (Running Point) - Fabrizio talks about Netflix's Running Point on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jessica Hecht (Special/Red Oaks/What About Joan?/The Single Guy) - Jessica is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.