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Howard Gewirtz is an American television producer and writer, whose credits include Taxi, The Larry Sanders Show, Just Shoot Me, Wings, Oliver Beene, Everybody Hates Chris, Gary and Mike and The Simpsons.[1]

Career

He was born in Rego Park, Queens in New York. His father was a dentist who invented Firmadent, a type of toothbrush.[2] Predominantly working as a comedy writer, Gewirtz's first writing credit was for Busting Loose in 1977.[3] Three years later, he penned the Three's Company episode "Mighty Mouth."[4] Gewirtz wrote episodes of Taxi (also functioning as a producer)[5] and Bosom Buddies during the 1980s.[6] He received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his work on the former.[7]

Gewirtz wrote the premiere episode of the short-lived sitcom Domestic Life, which reviewer Tom Shales found to be "moderately endearing" but lacking in humor.[8] He served as an executive producer of Down and Out in Beverly Hills in 1987,[9] a sitcom for the fledgling Fox network based on the 1986 film of the same name.[10] Like Domestic Life, it was cancelled after one season.

As a freelance writer, Gewirtz wrote "Homer Defined" for The Simpsons during its third season. It was Gewirtz who gave Milhouse Van Houten the character's last name.[11] He penned episodes of The Larry Sanders Show and Wings throughout the 1990s.[6]

In the late 1990s, Gewirtz executive produced Jenny, a sitcom starring Jenny McCarthy.[12] After working on Just Shoot Me!,[13] Gewirtz created the Fox sitcom Oliver Beene, which ran from 2003 to 2004. He based several of the characters on family members,[14] while the title character was modeled after his childhood self.[15] The series received negative reviews from television critics.[2][16]

Gewirtz earned his second Emmy Award nomination for co-writing a song featured on UPN series Gary & Mike.[7] He executive produced Everybody Hates Chris during its first season,[17][18] for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination in the category of best television series (musical or comedy).[19]

Bibliography

The Simpsons

Gary & Mike

References

  1. ^ Howard Gewirtz Biography, Film Reference
  2. ^ a b Cutler, Jacqueline (March 9, 2003). "'Oliver Beene' misses the comedy mark by a mile". The Victoria Advocate. p. 2-F.
  3. ^ Whiteside, Rich (1998). The Screenwriting Life: The Dream, the Job, and the Reality. Berkley Books. p. 60. ISBN 9780425164969.
  4. ^ Mann, Chris (June 15, 1998). Come and Knock on Our Door: A Hers and Hers and His Guide to "Three's Company". St. Martin's Press. p. 289. ISBN 9780312168032.
  5. ^ Graver, Sally (April 18, 1986). ""Forgiven" women love show". Edmonton Journal. p. 48.
  6. ^ a b Heffenan, Virginia (March 17, 2003). "Beene of Queens". Slate. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Howard Gewirtz - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Emmy Awards. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  8. ^ Shales, Tom (January 4, 1984). "The New Sitcoms: Three's a Crowd". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  9. ^ "Sitcom depicts lifestyles of rich". The Gadsden Times. September 6, 1987. p. 7.
  10. ^ Terry, Clifford (July 25, 1987). "'Down And Out' Tonight On Fox TV". Ocala StarBanner. p. 10B.
  11. ^ Gewirtz, Howard (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer Defined" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  12. ^ Bobbin, Jay (September 28, 1997). "Jenny McCarthy moves from MTV to CBS with new comedy series". Boca Raton News. pp. 2–3.
  13. ^ "'Oliver Beene' gets bigger order". The Beaver County Times. November 24, 2002. p. C6.
  14. ^ Carter, Bill (March 9, 2003). "COVER STORY; Close Encounters of the Fictional Kind". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  15. ^ Goodridge, Mike (April 1, 2003). "Pre-Stonewall preteen". The Advocate. No. 886. p. 52. ISSN 0001-8996.
  16. ^ Shales, Tom (March 8, 2003). "'Oliver Beene' Bigwigs Should Be Ashamed Of Themselves". The Ledger. pp. D1, D8.
  17. ^ Terrace, Vincent (March 23, 2009). The Year in Television, 2008: A Catalog of New and Continuing Series, Miniseries, Specials and TV Movies. McFarland & Company. p. 192. ISBN 9780786443918.
  18. ^ Rhodes, Joe (September 18, 2005). "Chris Rock Hates Everybody's Fussing". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  19. ^ "Howard Gewirtz". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved June 18, 2023.

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