Ben Starr (American producer)
| Ben Starr | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Benjamin Starr October 18, 1921 Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Died | January 19, 2014 (aged 92) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation | Television producer, creator and writer |
| Notable work |
|
| Spouse(s) | Gloria Kaplan (m. 1949–1999; her death) |
| Children | 3 |
Benjamin Starr (October 18, 1921 – January 19, 2014) was an American television producer, creator, writer and playwright.
Born in Manhattan, New York, to Russian immigrants, Starr grew up in Brooklyn and worked in his parents' doughnut factory. He attended City College, later graduated from UCLA, and served in World War II. He became a second lieutenant navigator stationed in England and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the military, he began writing comedy for radio stars, such as Al Jolson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and George Burns. He started his television writing career for the live program Climax!.
Starr co-created the sitcom Silver Spoons, helped develop The Facts of Life, and was a regular screenwriter for the popular series Mister Ed and All in the Family. He also wrote for such comedies as Chico and the Man, Maude, The Andy Griffith Show, Petticoat Junction and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He is notably credited for writing The Brady Bunch episode "The Personality Kid" in which Peter Brady (Christopher Knight) delivers his Humphrey Bogart impersonation of "pork chops and applesauce". Starr also penned the Diff'rent Strokes line "What are you talking about, Willis?", in which Gary Coleman delivered in his own way and made it a catchphrase.
...
Wikipedia