Gary David Goldberg

Gary David Goldberg (June 25, 1944 – June 23, 2013) was an American writer and producer for television and film. Goldberg was best known for his work on Family Ties (1982–89), Spin City (1996–2002), and his semi-autobiographical series Brooklyn Bridge (1991–93).

Gary David Goldberg
Born(1944-06-25)June 25, 1944
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedJune 23, 2013(2013-06-23) (aged 68)
Montecito, California, U.S.
Alma materBrandeis University
San Diego State University
Occupation
  • Writer
  • television producer
  • film producer
Spouse(s)Diana Meehan
Children2, including Shana Goldberg-Meehan

Background

Gary David Goldberg was born on June 25, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Anne (née Prossman) and George Goldberg, a postal worker. He had an older brother, Stan, who is 5 years older and a well-known summer camp director.[1] Goldberg grew up in Bensonhurst[2] and attended and graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. He studied at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and San Diego State University, ultimately deciding to become a writer. In 1969, he met the woman who would become his wife, Diana Meehan. They founded and ran a day care center in Berkeley, California, during the 1970s.[3]

Career

Goldberg began his show business career while living in Israel in 1972, landing the lead role of Scooterman in the language teaching show The Adventures of Scooterman. His first "real job" not in front of the camera[3] came in 1976, when he became a writer for CBS' The Bob Newhart Show. This was followed by The Dumplings, The Tony Randall Show, and later CBS's Lou Grant, for which he was also producer.[3]

In 1982 he formed his own company Ubu Productions (named after his Labrador retriever Ubu Roi, who died in 1984). In 1982 he created Family Ties which ran for seven seasons and was a critical and ratings hit; it helped launch the career of Michael J. Fox. He later produced Brooklyn Bridge and Spin City. In 1989 he produced and directed the feature film with a marquée cast, Dad, starring Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, and Olympia Dukakis. This film was followed by Bye Bye Love (which he produced but did not direct), starring Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser and Randy Quaid; and Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. He received two Emmy awards (1979 for Lou Grant, 1987 for Family Ties) and four Writers Guild of America Awards (1979, 1988, 1998, 2010) for his work.[3] He also received the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of excellence and innovation in creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television[4] in 1994 and the Austin Film Festival's Outstanding Television Writer Award in 2001.

Controversy

Beginning in 2000, Tracy Keenan Wynn and more than 150 television writers over the age of 40 filed 23 class-action lawsuits that charged Hollywood's television industry—networks, studios, talent agencies and production companies—with age discrimination. A prominent industry quote cited in the case came from Gary David Goldberg, who told TV Guide Magazine that Spin City had "no writers on the set over the age of 29 — by design."[5][6]

On January 6, 2009, the Superior Court of the State of California, for the County of Los Angeles, granted final approval to a consent decree resolving age discrimination claims asserted against defendants International Creative Management, Inc. (ICM) and Broder Kurland Webb Agency (BKW). The consent decree affected a full and final resolution of the class claims, including all individual claims subsumed in the cases. Under the terms of the consent decree, defendants ICM and BKW paid $4.5 million into a settlement fund.[7]

Personal life

Goldberg died of a brain tumor in Montecito, California on June 23, 2013, two days before his 69th birthday.[8]

His daughter is comedy writer Shana Goldberg-Meehan.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Note(s)
1989DadWriter/Producer/Director
1995Bye Bye LoveWriter/Producer
2005Must Love DogsWriter/Producer/Director
2011No Strings AttachedEmma's Relative

Television
Year Title Role Note(s)
1972The Adventures of ScootermanScooterman6 episodes
1976The DumplingsWriterEpisode: "Gourmet's Delight"
PhyllisEpisode: "Speech 1A"
1976-77The Bob Newhart Show3 episodes
1976-78The Tony Randall ShowProducer/Executive Producer/Writer/Story Editor30 episodes
1977AliceWriterEpisode: "Mel's in Love"
1978-79Lou GrantProducer/Executive Producer/Writer/Creative Consultant41 episodes
1978M*A*S*HWriterEpisode: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
1979-80The Last ResortCreator/Producer/Executive Producer17 episodes
1982Making the GradeExecutive Producer/Director2 episodes
1982-89Family TiesCreator/Executive Producer170 episodes
1983Famous LinesExecutive ProducerTV special
1985SaraCreator/Executive Producer14 episodes
Family Ties VacationWriterTV movie
1986Taking It HomeExecutive Producer
1987-88The Bronx ZooCreator21 episodes
1988ShooterExecutive ProducerTV movie
1988-89Day By DayCreator/Executive Producer33 episodes
1990-91American Dreamer17 episodes
1991-93Brooklyn Bridge75 episodes
1996ChampsCreator12 episodes
1996-2002Spin CityCreator/Executive Producer/Executive Consultant145 episodes

Bibliography
  • Goldberg, Gary David (March 3, 2008). "Comedy Stop: What Would Alex Keaton Do?". New York Times.
  • Goldberg, Gary David (2008). Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I Went from Brooklyn to Hollywood With the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair. Harmony Books. ISBN 978-0-307-39418-7. Sit, Ubu, Sit.
gollark: All hail Linux, as I always say.
gollark: Ah, cool.
gollark: Unless you mean it's an outofCC one.
gollark: What distinguishes it from just using those separately then?
gollark: I can't even focus on one project at once, soooo...

References
  1. "Gary David Goldberg Biography (1944-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  2. Barnes, Mike. "'Family Ties' Creator Gary David Goldberg Dies at 68". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  3. "Gary David Goldberg". Gary David Goldberg. 1944-06-25. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  4. "Past Recipients". Wif.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-30. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  5. Hollywood to Writers: You're Fired! Source: AARP Bulletin Today | 2005-01-06
  6. "Hollywood writers' age-discrimination case settled". Los Angeles Times. 2010-01-23. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
  7. January 6, 2009: Final Approval Granted to Settlement Spenger and Lang Attorney website
  8. "Gary David Goldberg, Creator of 'Family Ties,' Dies at 68". The New York Times. June 24, 2013.
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