Gelbart, Larry 1928- (Francis Burns)

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Gelbart, Larry 1928- (Francis Burns)

PERSONAL

Full name, Larry Simon Gelbart; born February 25, 1928, in Chicago, IL; son of Harry (a barber and barbershop owner) and Frieda (a seamstress; maiden name, Sturner) Gelbart; married Patricia "Pat" Marshall (a singer and actress), November 25, 1956; children: Adam, Becky; (stepchildren) Cathy (a writer; deceased), Gary, Paul. Education: Attended John Marshall High School, Chicago, IL, and Fairfax High School, Los Angeles.

Addresses:

Agent—Creative Artists Agency, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Career:

Writer, producer, and director. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, artist-in-residence, 1984-85. Basin Street West (restaurant), co-owner. Military service: U.S. Army, 1946-47.

Member:

Writers Guild of America, West, Dramatists Guild, Authors League, PEN Center USA West, Writers Guild of Great Britain, International PEN, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Directors Guild of America, Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences (member of board of governors).

Awards, Honors:

Emmy Award nominations (with others), best comedy writing, 1956, 1957, and 1958, all for Caesar's Hour; Emmy Award nomination, best writing of a single musical or variety program, 1958, for Sid Caesar's "Chevy Show"; Sylvania Award, c. 1959, and Emmy Award, outstanding program achievement in the field of humor, 1960, both for The Art Carney Show; Antoinette Perry awards (with Burt Shevelove), best author of a musical and best musical, both 1963, for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing achievement in a comedy or variety show, 1963, for The Danny Kaye Show; Writers Guild of America Screen Award nomination (with Blake Edwards), best written American comedy, 1963, for The Notorious Landlady; Emmy Award nomination, best writing in comedy-variety, variety, or music, 1973, for Barbra Streisandand Other Musical Instruments; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing achievement in comedy, Writers Guild of America Award, best writing in an episodic comedy, 1973, Writers Guild of America awards, 1974, Emmy Award (with Gene Reynolds), outstanding comedy series, 1974, HUMANITAS Prize, 1974, George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award (with others), Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Georgia, 1975, Emmy Award nominations (with Reynolds), outstanding comedy series, 1975 and 1976, and HUMANITAS Prize, 30 minute category, 1976, all for M*A*S*H; Emmy Award nominations (with others), outstanding writing achievement in comedy, 1976, for "Hawkeye" and "The More I See You," both episodes of M*A*S*H; Writers Guild of America Screen Award, best comedy adapted from another medium, Academy Award nomination, best writing, screenplay based on material from another medium, and Saturn Award nomination, best writing, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, all 1978, all for Oh, God!; Writers Guild of America Screen Award (with Sheldon Keller), best comedy written directly for the screen, 1979, and Christopher Award, both for Movie, Movie; Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement, Writers Guild of America, 1981; New York Film Critics Circle Award and Los Angeles Film Critics Award, both best screenplay, both with Murray Schisgal, 1982, Writers Guild of America Screen Award, best comedy written directly for the screen, National Society of Film Critics Award, best screenplay, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best screenplay—motion picture, all with Schisgal, all 1983, Academy Award nomination (with Schisgal and Don McGuire), best writing, screenplay written directly for the screen, 1983, and Film Award nomination (with Schisgal), best adapted screenplay, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1984, all for Tootsie; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding directing in a comedy series, 1983, for "Fallout," an episode of AfterM*A*S*H; granted an honorary doctor of letters, Union College, 1986; Pacific Broadcasting Pioneers Award, 1987; Lee Strasberg Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts and Sciences, 1990; special Outer Critics Circle citation for contribution to comedy, 1990, for City of Angels and Mastergate; Antoinette Perry Award, best book of a musical, Drama Desk Award, best book of a musical, New York Drama Critics Circle Award, best musical, Outer Critics Circle Award, outstanding Broadway musical, and Edgar Allan Poe Award, best mystery play, Mystery Writers of America, all 1990, London Critics Circle Award, best new musical, 1993, and Laurence Olivier Award, best musical, Society of West End Theatre, 1994, all for City of Angels; Beverly Hills Theater Guild Spotlight Award, 1991; Emmy Award, outstanding individual achievement in writing in a miniseries or special, and American Television Award, best made-for-television motion picture, both 1993, TV Critics Association Award, program of the year, c. 1993, Writers Guild of America Award (television), adapted long form, and CableACE Award, best writing, movie or miniseries, both 1994, all for Barbarians at the Gate; Writers Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award, 1997; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing for a miniseries or a special, 1997, and PEN Center USA West Literary Award, best teleplay, 1998, both for Weapons of Mass Distraction; Distinguished Citizens Award (with Pat Gelbart), Maple Counseling Center, 1999; granted an honorary doctorate of humane letters, Hofstra University, 1999; William S. Paley Award for excellence in television, Anti-Defamation League, 2001; citation for distinguished service, American Medical Association (AMA), 2001; Writers Guild of America Award (television), original long form, Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing for a miniseries, movie, or a dramatic special, Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding made for television movie, and nomination for Television Producer of the Year Award in Longform (with others), Golden Laurel awards, Producers Guild of America, all 2004, all for And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself; Valentine Davies Award, Writers Guild of America, 2007; Kieser Award, HUMANITAS Prize, 2007.

CREDITS

Television Work; Series:

Producer, The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, Associated Television, 1971-72, ABC, 1972.

Developer, executive producer (with Gene Reynolds), and executive script consultant, M*A*S*H (also known as MASH), CBS, 1972-76.

(With Reynolds) Producer, Roll Out!, CBS, 1973-74.

(With Reynolds) Executive producer, Karen, ABC, 1975.

Creator and producer, United States, NBC, 1980, also broadcast on Arts and Entertainment.

Developer, executive creative consultant, and producer, AfterM*A*S*H (also known as AfterMASH), CBS, 1983-84.

Executive producer, Fast Track, Showtime, 1997-98.

Television Executive Producer; Movies:

Barbarians at the Gate (also known as Barbarzyncy u bram, Der Konzern, Kaos paa Wall Street, Les requins de la finance, Panico en Wall Street, Selvagens em Wall Street, and Sota poerssikadulla), HBO, 1993.

Weapons of Mass Distraction (also known as Dirty Game, Armados de poder, Im Sog der Gier, and O quarto poder), HBO, 1997.

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (also known as Pancho Villa and Pancho Villa dans son propre role), HBO, 2003.

Television Creative Consultant; Specials:

To Life! America Celebrates Israel's 50th, 1998.

Television Producer; Awards Presentations:

The 57th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1985.

Television Director; Episodic:

M*A*S*H (also known as MASH), CBS, episodes c. 1974-76.

"Fallout," AfterM*A*S*H (also known as AfterMASH), CBS, 1983.

"It Had to Be You," AfterM*A*S*H (also known as AfterMASH), CBS, 1984.

Television Producer; Pilots:

(With Gene Reynolds) If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?, CBS, 1974.

Corsairs (also known as The Corsairs, Rosebud, Rosebud, My Ass, and Untitled Larry Gelbart Project), ABC, 2002.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Himself, Making "M*A*S*H," PBS, 1981.

Himself, Memories of "M*A*S*H," CBS, 1991.

Bob Hope: The First Ninety Years (also known as Bob Hope: The First 90 Years and Bob Hope: A 90th Birthday Celebration), NBC, 1993.

Himself, Caesar's Writers, PBS, 1996.

Himself, AFI's 100 Years100 Movies, CBS, 1998.

Himself, M*A*S*H, Tootsie, & God: A Tribute to Larry Gelbart, 1998.

Himself, NYTV: By the People Who Made It (also known as NYTV: By the People Who Made It: Part I & II), WNET (PBS affiliate), 1998.

Norman Jewison on Comedy in the 20th Century: Funny Is Money, 1999.

Himself, AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies, CBS, 2000.

The '70s: The Decade That Changed Television, ABC, 2000.

Himself, Hail Sid Caesar!: The Golden Age of Comedy, Showtime, 2001.

Himself, Brilliant but Cancelled, Trio, 2002.

Himself, "M*A*S*H": 30th Anniversary Reunion, Fox, 2002.

Himself, The Perfect Pitch (also known as Brilliant but Cancelled: The Perfect Pitch), Trio, 2002.

Himself, TV's Most Censored Moments, TRIO and USA Network, 2002.

Himself, Bob Hope: The Road to Laughter, PBS, 2003.

Himself, Funny Already: A History of Jewish Comedy (also known as Funny Already and Funny Already: How Jewish Comedy Made America Laugh), Channel 4 (England), 2004.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 58th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1986.

The 44th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1990.

The American Television Awards, ABC, 1993.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Himself, The College of Comedy with Alan King, broadcast on Great Performances, PBS, c. 1997.

"Neil Simon: The People's Playwright," Biography (also known as A&E Biography: Neil Simon), Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Himself, The Martin Short Show (also known as El show de Martin Short), syndicated, 1999.

Himself, "The Dick Van Dyke Show," Inside TV Land (also known as Inside TV Land: The Dick Van Dyke Show), TV Land, 2000.

The Museum of Television and Radio: Influences, Bravo, 2000.

Joe, "The Two Hundredth," Frasier (also known as Dr. Frasier Crane), NBC, 2001.

Himself, "M*A*S*H: Comedy under Fire," History vs. Hollywood (also known as History through the Lens), History Channel, 2001.

The College of Comedy III with Alan King (also known as The College of Comedy 3 with Alan King), broadcast on Great Performances, PBS, c. 2001.

Himself, Intimate Portrait: Angie Dickinson, Lifetime, 2003.

Himself, Real Time with Bill Maher, HBO, 2004.

Himself, "Changing Times and Trends," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2005.

Himself, "Writing, Rehearsing & Recording," TV Land Confidential (also known as TV Land Confidential: The Untold Stories), TV Land, 2005.

Film Producer:

Associate producer, The Wrong Box, Columbia, 1966.

Executive producer, Blame It on Rio, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984.

Involved with other projects, including serving as the executive producer of Power Failure.

Film Appearances; Documentaries:

Himself, Jackie Mason: An Equal Opportunity Offender, Kultur International Films, 1995.

Himself, Patriot Act: A Jeffrey Ross Home Movie, c. 2005.

Himself, Olhar estrangeiro, Riofilmes, 2006.

Stage Work; Director:

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, London, 1986.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Himself, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 50th Anniversary Celebration Tribute to Bob Hope, 1996.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: Creating the Comedy, 2000.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites—The Dream Team of Comedy, Creative Light Worldwide, 2000.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites—The Professor and Other Clowns, Creative Light Worldwide, 2000.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: Inside the Writer's Room, 2000.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV, 2000.

Himself, The Sid Caesar Collection: The Fan Favorites—Love and Laughter, Creative Light Worldwide, 2001.

Himself, Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures—The Impact of Sid Caesar, Creative Light Entertainment, 2003.

Himself, Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures—The Legend of Sid Caesar, Creative Light Entertainment, 2003.

Himself, Sid Caesar Collection: Buried Treasures—Shining Stars, Creative Light Worldwide, 2003.

Himself, On Your Marx, Get Set, Go! (short), Warner Home Video, 2004.

Himself, Remarks on Marx: A Night at the Opera (short), Warner Home Video, 2004.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Movies:

Barbarians at the Gate (also known as Barbarzyncy u bram, Der Konzern, Kaos paa Wall Street, Les requins de la finance, Panico en Wall Street, Selvagens em Wall Street, and Sota poerssikadulla), HBO, 1993.

Weapons of Mass Distraction (also known as Dirty Game, Armados de poder, Im Sog der Gier, and O quarto poder), HBO, 1997.

And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (also known as Pancho Villa and Pancho Villa dans son propre role), HBO, 2003.

Teleplays; Specials:

(With Woody Allen) The Sid Caesar Show, NBC, 1958.

Sid Caesar's "Chevy Show," NBC, c. 1958.

(With Sheldon Keller) The Art Carney Show (also known as The Art Carney Special), NBC, 1959.

The Rosalind Russell Show, NBC, 1959.

(With Keller) The Best of Anything, NBC, 1960.

Four for Tonight (also known as Star Parade), NBC, 1960.

(With Allen) Hooray for Love, CBS, 1960.

(With Gary Belkin) The Chevrolet Golden Anniversary Show, CBS, 1961.

Opening Tonight, CBS, 1962.

Judy Garland and Her Guests, Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet (also known as Judy and Her Guests, Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet), CBS, 1963.

Barbra Streisandand Other Musical Instruments, CBS, 1973.

Mastergate (based on his play), Showtime, 1992.

Teleplays; Often with Others; Episodic:

Four Star Revue (also known as The All-Star Revue), NBC, episodes from c. 1950-53.

Your Show of Shows (also known as Sid Caesar's "Show of Shows"), NBC, episodes from c. 1950-54.

The Red Buttons Show, CBS, episodes from c. 1952-54, and NBC, episodes c. 1954-55.

"The Face Is Familiar," General Electric Theater (also known as G.E. Theater), CBS, 1954.

(With Hal Collins) Honestly, Celeste!, CBS, episodes in 1954.

The Patrice Munsel Show, ABC, episodes from c. 1954-62 (some sources cite from c. 1957-58.

(With Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and Mel Tolkin) Caesar's Hour, NBC, episodes from c. 1955-57.

The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom (also known as The Pat Boone Show), ABC, episodes from c. 1957-60.

The Danny Kaye Show, CBS, episodes from c. 1963-67.

Comedy Playhouse, episodes beginning c. 1971.

The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, Associated Television, episodes in 1971-72, broadcast on ABC, 1972.

M*A*S*H (also known as MASH; based on the novel and film), CBS, episodes from 1972-83.

Roll Out!, CBS, episodes in 1973-74.

Karen, ABC, episodes in 1975.

United States, NBC, 1980, also broadcast on Arts and Entertainment.

AfterM*A*S*H (also known as AfterMASH), CBS, episodes in 1983-84.

Wrote material that has appeared in other television programs.

Teleplays; Pilots:

Perils of Pauline, c. 1960.

Eddie (also known as Bel Air Patrol), CBS, 1971.

My Wives Jane, CBS, 1971.

M*A*S*H (also known as MASH; based on the novel and film), CBS, 1972.

If I Love You, Am I Trapped Forever?, CBS, 1974.

Riding High, NBC, 1977.

Wrote other pilots, including Network, CBS. Wrote an unaired pilot for Three's Company (also known as Herzbube mit zwei Damen, Tre cuori in affitto, and Un hombre en casa), ABC.

Screenplays:

(With Blake Edwards) The Notorious Landlady (based on a story by Margery Sharp), Columbia, 1962.

(With Carl Reiner; and story with Reiner) The Thrill of It All, Universal, 1963.

(With Norman Panama and Peter Barnes) Not with My Wife, You Don't! (based on a story by Panama and Melvin Frank), Warner Bros., 1966.

(With Burt Shevelove) The Wrong Box (based on a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne), Columbia, 1966.

(With Luigi Magni) La cintura di castita (also known as The Chastity Belt and On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who …; based on a story by Ugo Liberatore), Warner Bros./Seven Arts, 1968.

(Uncredited; with Francesco Maselli, Luisa Montagnana, and Virgil C. Leone) Ruba al prossimo tuo (also known as A Fine Pair; based on a story by Montagnana), National General, 1969.

Oh, God! (based on a novel by Avery Corman), Warner Bros., 1977, also served as the basis for other screenplays.

(With Sheldon Keller) Movie, Movie, Warner Bros., 1978.

(As Francis Burns) Rough Cut (also known as Roughcut), Paramount, 1980.

Neighbors (also known as Neighbours; based on a novel by Thomas Berger), Columbia, 1981.

(With Murray Schisgal; and story with Don McGuire) Tootsie (also known as Would I Lie to You? and Tootsie—lyoemaetoen lyyli), Columbia, 1982.

(With Charlie Peters) Blame It on Rio (based on the screenplay by Claude Berri), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984.

(With others) The Nutty Professor (also known as Boelcsek koevere, Catlak profesoer, Den galna professorn, Der verrueckte Professor, El profesor chiflado, Gruby i chudszy, Il professore matto, Le professeur foldingue, Luckasti profesor, Nigaud de professeur, The nutty professor: el profesor chiflado, O professor aloprado, O professor chanfrado, Paehkaehullu professori, and Trceni profesor; based on the earlier film of the same name), Universal, 1996.

Bedazzled (also known as Teuflisch), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2000.

C-Scam, Landscape Films, 2000.

(Uncredited; with others) Chicago (also known as Chicago: The Musical; based on the musical), Miramax, 2002.

Author of other screenplays, including John Deere, Nothing Sacred, Power Failure (based on his play), and (with others) Frank.

Film Music; Songs:

Song lyrics, Movie, Movie, Warner Bros., 1978.

"Christmas Song," The Girl next Door (also known as Girl next Door, La chica de al lado, La fille d'a cote, La ragazza della porta accanto, La vecina de al lado, Naabermaja pornostaar, Naegen neomu ajjil- han geunyeo, Sexbomba od vedle, Um show de vizinha, and Unelmien naapuri), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2004.

Writings for the Stage:

(With Bill Manhoff and Laurence Marks) My L.A., Forum Theatre, Los Angeles, 1948, also produced in 1950.

Author of book, The Conquering Hero (musical), American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA), New York City, 1961.

(With Burt Shevelove) Composer, lyricist, and author of book, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical; based on the work of Plautus), Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1962-64, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1964, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1964, then Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1972, later toured U.S. cities, 1974 and 1980-87, and produced in other productions, also produced as a feature film and released by United Artists, 1966, published by Dutton, 1963.

Jump, produced in London, 1972.

Sly Fox (based on the play Volpone by Ben Jonson), Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1976-78, then toured U.S. cities, 1978-81, also produced in other productions, published by Samuel French, 1978.

Author of book, Ballroom (musical), Majestic Theatre, 1978-79.

Author of book, One, Two, Three, Four, Five (musical; also known as History Loves Company), workshop production at Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1987 and 1988-89.

(With others) Jerome Robbins' "Broadway" (musical revue), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Mastergate, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA, then Criterion Center Theatre, New York City, 1989, published by Samuel French, 1990.

Author of book, City of Angels (musical), Virginia Theatre, New York City, 1989-92, published by Applause, 1990.

(Narration for ballet) Peter and the Wolf (symphonic piece), produced in New York City, 1991.

Power Failure, produced in Cambridge, MA, 1991.

Author of book, Lysistrata (musical; based on the play by Aristophanes), c. 2002.

Author of book, Like Jazz (musical), Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 2003.

Wrote material for Bob Hope's USO (United Service Organizations) tours to visit military personnel. Worked on other projects for the stage.

Writings for the Radio; with Others:

Duffy's Tavern, NBC, beginning c. 1946.

The Eddie Cantor Show (also known as The Chase and Sanborn Hour and Time to Smile), beginning c. 1946.

Maxwell House Coffee Time with Danny Thomas (also known as Maxwell House Coffee Time), CBS, beginning c. 1946.

Command Performance, Armed Forces Radio Service, 1946-47.

Jack Carson, 1947-48.

The Jack Paar Show, CBS, beginning c. 1949.

The Joan Davis Show (also known as Leave It to Joan), CBS, beginning c. 1949.

The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1949-52.

Writings for the Internet; Series:

Wrote episodes for an Internet series, c. 2000.

Songs:

Wrote songs, including "Let's Go Steady" and "Wallflower."

Nonfiction:

(With others) Stand-Up Comedians on Television, New York Museum of Television and Radio, Harry N. Abrams, 1996.

Laughing Matters: On Writing M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God!, and a Few Other Funny Things (autobiography; also known as Laughing Matters), Random House, 1998.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Contemporary Dramatists, sixth edition, St. James Press, 1999.

Contemporary Literary Criticism, Gale, Volume 21, 1982, Volume 61, 1990.

Laufe, Abe, Broadway's Greatest Musicals, Funk & Wagnalls, 1970.

Malarcher, Jay, The Classically American Comedy of Larry Gelbart, Scarecrow Press, 2003.

Periodicals:

Entertainment Weekly, March 6, 1998, p. 72.

New York Times, January 5, 1977; December 10, 1989, p. H5; May 15, 1997.

New York Times Magazine, October 8, 1989, pp. 53-56, 89-91.

People Weekly, April 13, 1998, p. 135.

Reader's Digest, August, 1998, pp. 154-55.

Theatre Week, December 18, 1989, p. 14.

Time, June 30, 2003, p. G5.

TV Guide, March 15, 2003, pp. 26-29.

U.S. News & World Report, February 28, 1983, p. 53.

Electronic:

Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2001.

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