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Westerns were a hugely popular genre in the 1950s, producing incredible movies like "The Searchers" or "3:10 to Yuma," but also television shows like "Gunsmoke" and "The Lone Ranger." After World War II, audiences were infatuated with the ideas of lone heroes bravely upholding law and order, putting dastardly outlaws or savage Native Americans in their place. By the 1980s, the genre had undergone a radical transformation, with new Westerns questioning the corruption behind the American mythos and viewing the exploited Indigenous community through more sympathetic eyes. This reflected how most Americans grew tired of their country boasting about its strength and moral superiority after becoming involved in the unwanted Vietnam War.

Putting twists on Western genre conventions also opened the door for spoof films, such as Mel Brooks' provocative "Blazing Saddles," which parodied quick-draw duels and laconic cowboys with raunchy, meta humor. Prolific sitcom writer David Lloyd channeled that...

Mark Withers, who had recurring roles on such shows as Kaz, Dynasty and Days of Our Lives, has died. He was 77.

Withers died Nov. 22 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, his daughter, Jessie Withers, told The Hollywood Reporter.

“He confronted his illness with the same strength and dignity he brought to his craft, creating a legacy of warmth, humor and dedication, along with his remarkable ability to make every role unforgettable,” she wrote in a tribute. His “enduring talent and commitment to the industry will be fondly remembered by colleagues, friends and fans alike.”

Withers portrayed Peter Colcourt on the Ron Leibman-starring CBS crime drama Kaz from 1978-79, Ted Dinard on ABC’s Dynasty in 1981 — he’s murdered by Blake Carrington (John Forsythe), leading to Joan Collins joining the series as Alexis Carrington — and Coach Locke on NBC’s Days of Our Lives from 1986-87.

He also appeared on dozens of other shows,...

Bob Ellison, the two-time Emmy Award winner who wrote for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and served as a game-saving creative/script consultant on Cheers, Wings, Becker and many other comedies, has died. He was 91.

He died April 8 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his business manager, Malcolm Orland, told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was a sweetheart and so good at what he did,” Orland said.

Ellison came from the world of variety shows, where he wrote and/or produced several specials that starred Julie Andrews and Burt Bacharach. He also co-developed the 1988-92 NBC sitcom Dear John, starring Judd Hirsch.

Ellison wrote 15 episodes and was an executive story editor during the last two of The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s seven seasons (from 1975-77). He shared an Emmy with Allan Burns, James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels and David Lloyd for the beloved series finale, “The Last Show.

Earl Pomerantz, an Emmy-winning television writer who worked on numerous sitcoms over the years, died Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 75.

The announcement was made by Pomerantz’s friend, TV writer Ken Levine, on Levine’s personal blog.

Over the course of his career, Pomerantz wrote scripts for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Rhoda,” “The Tony Randall Show,” “Phyllis,” “Taxi,” “Cheers” and “The Cosby Show,” which he also ran for a period of time. He also was creator and executive producer on “Major Dad” and “Best of the West” and served as a creative consultant on “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Lateline” and “According to Jim.” He won two Emmy Awards, one in 1976 for serving on the writing team of “The Lily Tomlin Special” and another in 1985 for “The Cosby Show.”

Born in Canada, he got his start in television writing...

Earl Pomerantz, a two-time Emmy winner who wrote and produced for such comedies as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Cosby Show, Taxi and The Larry Sanders Show, has died. He was 75.

Pomerantz died Saturday of an aneurysm at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, his daughter Rachel Braude said.

He also created the 1981-82 ABC sitcom Best of the West, starring Joel Higgins, and the 1989-93 CBS comedy Major Dad, starring Gerald McRaney.

Born on Feb. 4, 1945, in Canada, Earl Raymond Pomerantz received his first Emmy in 1976 for his work on ABC's The Lily Tomlin Special (shared with Lorne ...

Earl Pomerantz, the Emmy-winning television writer behind “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Cheers,” died Saturday at age 75.

His death was announced Monday in a blog post by his friend Ken Levine, a fellow television writer for “Cheers,” M*A*S*H,” and “Frasier.” No cause of death has been confirmed yet, but Levine wrote that Pomerantz’s “serious health problems” had only begun as recently as “about five weeks ago.”

In his last entry made on his personal blog, “Earl Pomerantz: Just Thinking,” Pomerantz spoke of a “troubling eye problem.”

“Can’t write. Be back when I can,” he wrote in late January. “In the meantime, thanks for the company. I’ve never had more fun writing. So long. And as The Cisco Kid used to say, ‘See you soon, Ha!'”

Also Read: Max von Sydow, 'The Exorcist' and 'Seventh Seal' Star, Dies at 90

Pomerantz also wrote for “The Cosby Show,...

Earl Pomerantz, a prolific TV writer whose credits include episodes of such popular sitcoms as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers, The Bob Newhart Show, Taxi and Sanford & Son who also developed and exec produced the 1990s Gerald McRaney comedy Major Dad, died Saturday, March 7. He was 75.

His death was announced by his friend, TV writer Ken Levine, who said Pomerantz died at UCLA Medical Center. No cause of death was announced, but Pomerantz’s health had been in serious decline for five weeks, according to Levine.

Pomerantz won two Emmy Awards, the first in 1976 as part of the writing team for The Lily Tomlin Special and another in 1985 for The Cosby Show. He was nominated four other times, for Lily (1975), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1977), a second 1985 episode of The Cosby Show and in 1997 for The Larry Sanders Show.

Notable Hollywood & Entertainment Industry Deaths In 2020: Photo Gallery

In addition to script writing,...