Gary Dontzig, who won three Emmys as a writer-producer of Murphy Brown and also worked on Becker, Suddenly Susan, State of Grace, Hannah Montana and other series, has died. He was 79.
His longtime writing partner Steven Peterman told Deadline that Dontzig died February 23 in Los Angeles after a sudden, brief illness.
Born on March 18, 1946, in New York City, Dontzig started out as an actor, guesting on such popular series including The Waltons, Chico and the Man, One Day at a Time, Too Close for Comfort and Laverne & Shirley. He also appeared on stage at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum and played Patrick opposite Angela Lansbury in a touring production of Mame.
He and Peterman met during a show at the Old Globe theater in San Diego, and they would become part of the original writing staff of CBS comedy Murphy Brown when it launched in 1988. The show was a comeback vehicle for the Carnal Knowledge star Candice Bergen, who played the popular but not entirely lovable ace reporter of a popular TV newsmagazine. The show wasn’t an immediate hit but became a Top 10 ratings smash by its third season.
Dontzig and Peterman co-wrote 25 episodes of Murphy Brown including its landmark Season 5 opener — a response to then-Vice President Dan Quayle’s remarks deriding the lead character’s decision to have a baby as a single woman. The pair ultimately would be involved in 150 episodes as producers and shared Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1990 and 1992 and added another for writing in 1991. They also earned Comedy Series Emmy noms in 1991 and ’93.
After Season 4, Dontzig and Peterman were promoted to executive producers by creator Diane English.
Dontzig and Peterman went on to develop and executive produce the first three years of NBC’s Must-See TV-era comedy Suddenly Susan, starring Brooke Shields. They later spent two years on Fox Family series State of Grace, sharing a Humanitas Prize nomination.
Gary Dontzig in 2004
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
After a stint on the final season of the Ted Danson’s post-Cheers CBS sitcom Becker, the team rewrote the original script for what became the Disney Channel phenomenon Hannah Montana, starring Miley Cyrus, and co-executive produced the pilot along with creator Michael Poryes.
“He was, as I often called him to his face, the hardest-working saint in show business,” Peterman told Deadline. “I’ve spent much of my adult life trying to be as nice a person, and it’s a frustrating, impossible task. I will miss him like a brother.”
Dontzig also wrote plays and taught classes at his alma mater American University’s drama school in Washington, D.C.
Known to friends as “Dr. Dontzig,” he and his life partner of over 30 years, artist Gary Campbell, were fierce advocates for AIDS victims during the 1980s crisis and after, and tireless supporters of a long list of charities and political causes.
Dontzig is survived by his sister, Lois Pierris; his niece, Claudine; and his cousins. A celebration of life was being planned. In lieu of flowers, donations please may be made to New Mexico Wildlife Center, Santa Fe Animal Shelter or PETA.
