Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > TV Talk
Reload this Page >

Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Community
Search
TV Talk Talk about Shows on TV
View Poll Results: Which show of his did you like better?
Gilligan's Island
28
51.85%
The Brady Bunch
26
48.15%
Voters: 54. You may not vote on this poll

Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-12-11, 12:50 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Thread Starter
 
Matt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,639
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz dead at 94



Sherwood Schwartz, the television mastermind behind "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch," has died at 94.

"He had a lot of favorite projects and a lot of favorite shows, and his favorite one was always the next one," his son and producing partner, Lloyd J. Schwartz, told TheWrap. "He didn't really die. He just ran out of time to do things."

He died of natural causes in his sleep early Tuesday, surrounded by his family. The father and son were working together on the upcoming Warner Bros. film adaptation of "Gilligan's Island" at the time of Schwartz's death, Lloyd J. Schwartz said.

Besides creating shows that became staples across generations as they lived on in syndication, Schwartz wrote for legends including Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Milton Berle.

Born in Passaic, N.J., in 1916, Schwartz studied premed at New York University before writing for "The Bob Hope Radio Show" in 1939 with his brother, Al. After four years, he wrote for the Armed Forces Radio Service, then for the radio version of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet."

Once he turned to television, he worked on more than 700 shows, by his own count. They included "I Married Joan," "The Red Skelton Show" and "My Favorite Martian."

In 1963, he created "Gilligan's Island," which would become a TV staple and provide a classic setup for shows as diverse as "Lost" and "Survivor": A group of diverse people are trapped on an island, trying to live as comfortably as possible and perhaps one day go home.

"Whether it's North Korean and South Korean, or whether it's Arabs and Jews ... or blacks and whites, you know, everybody's a human being," he once told an interviewer. "And that's at the basis of most of my thinking. All my shows, actually, are how do people learn to get along with one another?"

The simple "Gilligan" scenario endures in reruns, and its theme song, which he co-wrote with George Wyle, is one of the catchiest in TV history, perhaps matched only by the "Brady Bunch" theme that he co-wrote with Frank DeVol.

The success of "Gilligan's Island" led to three two-hour TV movies, including one, "Rescue from Gilligan's Island," which Schwartz said was the first "reunion show."

In 1969, he created "The Brady Bunch," a Gen X classic that led to more reunion shows and two feature films in the 1990s, "The Brady Bunch Movie" and "A Very Brady Sequel."

Schwartz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, the same year he joined the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Schwartz was married to his wife, Mildred, for nearly seven decades, which he called his greatest accomplishment. He is survived by four children, including Lloyd, and another son, Ross Schwartz, who wrote the independent film "Bottle Shock."
Weird timing - Just a few days ago I read the Brady Bunch memoir he and his son wrote.


Last edited by Matt; 07-12-11 at 04:25 PM.
Old 07-12-11, 12:56 PM
  #2  
TGM
DVD Talk Legend
 
TGM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 16,974
Received 401 Likes on 250 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

we should all be so lucky to live to 94. rip, little buddy!
Old 07-12-11, 01:00 PM
  #3  
Moderator
 
Geofferson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: The Village Green
Posts: 39,768
Received 99 Likes on 82 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Old 07-12-11, 01:04 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Raleighwood
Posts: 6,643
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94



Schwartz died of natural causes in his sleep, surrounded by his family.
Dying like this after 94 good years ain't so bad.
Old 07-12-11, 01:35 PM
  #5  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
tommyp007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Kingsport, TN
Posts: 6,418
Received 120 Likes on 80 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Old 07-12-11, 01:54 PM
  #6  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,774
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Sad news. I've recently been watching some old Gilligan's Island on DVD. A really enjoyable show that has a timeless charm about it. One of my all time favorites.
Old 07-12-11, 02:14 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Legend
 
islandclaws's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain
Posts: 20,085
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Thanks for all the great TV!

Old 07-12-11, 03:02 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
MrSmearkase's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ayer, MA
Posts: 5,259
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Old 07-12-11, 03:05 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Dr Mabuse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: 75 clicks above the Do Lung bridge...
Posts: 18,946
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

He had a hell of a run.
Old 07-12-11, 04:16 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Cardsfan111's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 18,500
Likes: 0
Received 379 Likes on 236 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94



Huge fan of his work. He will be missed, but his influence lives on.
Old 07-12-11, 06:28 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Numanoid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Down in 'The Park'
Posts: 27,881
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

There goes my childhood. RIP, SS.
Old 07-12-11, 06:56 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 39,351
Received 626 Likes on 482 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Glad he lived to a ripe old age and died peacefully.
Old 07-12-11, 07:22 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
William Fuld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,072
Received 135 Likes on 80 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

We've lost a genius.
Old 07-13-11, 12:40 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 9,127
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

They should put S.S. Minnow on the side of the casket. RIP.
Old 07-13-11, 01:03 AM
  #15  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Trencher's Farm
Posts: 2,089
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

I've probably watched more hours of his work on television than anyone else's. RIP
Old 07-13-11, 09:42 AM
  #16  
DVD Talk Hero
 
TomOpus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 40,146
Received 1,303 Likes on 947 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Thanks for bringing Maryann and Marsha to my youthful TV viewing.

I understand the memorial service will be this weekend and should run 3 hours.
Old 07-13-11, 09:53 AM
  #17  
DVD Talk Legend
 
andicus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 12,847
Received 1,028 Likes on 727 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

RIP

I can't choose between the shows...
Old 07-13-11, 04:50 PM
  #18  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
madcougar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 6,691
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Originally Posted by Fist of Doom



Dying like this after 94 good years ain't so bad.
My thoughts exactly... especially considering he was rich! Thanks for the laughts. Rest in peace! You earned it!
Old 07-13-11, 05:23 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
RoboDad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: A far green country
Posts: 5,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

He sure did.

I was thinking, given the great sense of humor about life that he obviously had, how it would be if he had requested that his tombstone read: "Mom always says, don't play ball in the house."

RIP
Old 07-13-11, 10:17 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Quincy, MA USA
Posts: 425
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

Maybe his casket will be made out of coconuts, bamboo, and palm tree fronds.
Old 07-15-11, 11:26 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TeXas
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

I like both but Im pick for Gilligan's Island.

S. Schwartz
Old 07-16-11, 01:01 AM
  #22  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Charlie Goose's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sesame Street (the apt. next to Bob's)
Posts: 20,195
Likes: 0
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Re: Sherwood Schwartz (Gilligan's Island & Brady Bunch creator) dead at 94

I hope his cemetery has green astro turf.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.