Writer/producer Allan Manings, co-creator of One Day at a Time, has passed away at the age of 86. His writing career began in the early 1960s with a pair of Leave It to Beaver episodes, which were followed by episodes of sitcoms like Petticoat Junction, McHale’s Navy and The Mothers-In-Law. He was a member of the writing staff on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, starting with the September 1967 special that was followed by a weekly series in September of 1968. Mannings shared a 1968 Emmy Award in the Outstanding Writing Achievement in Music or Variety category and three nominations (one in 1969, two in 1970) in the Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music category. He would leave the writing staff following the 1970-1971 season, the show’s fourth.
In 1974, Manings became a producer for Good Times, later executive producer, and also wrote seven episodes of the sitcom between 1974 and 1977. With his wife, Whitney Blake, Manings created One Day at a Time, which according to The Los Angeles Times was based in part on Blake’s experience as a single mother. Her daughter, and Manings stepdaughter, is actress Meredith Baxter. In addition to creating the show, Manings helped write the pilot episode and served as producer through the first half of the 1975-1976 season. From 1998 to 2000, Telemundo broadcast a Spanish version of One Day at a Time called Solo en America.
Manings was heavily involved in the Writers Guild of America and in 1997 received the Guild’s Morgan Cox Award, “presented to that member or group of members whose vital ideas, continuing efforts and personal sacrifice best exemplify the ideal of service to the Guild.” Obituaries can be found at The Hollywood Reporter and The Los Angeles Times.
Once he was in Norman Lear’s “camp”, Allan could pitch any interesting idea to him, and see it become a series. He succeeded in “ONE DAY AT A TIME”; he was a production partner as well {through “Allwhit, Inc.”}, even though production was eventually supervised by the veteran writer/producer team of Perry Grant & Dick Bensfield. And becaise it lasted nine seasons, Manings had a VERY secure finanical future. His wife, Whitney Blake, was best known as a co-star of “HAZEL” during its first four seasons (1961-’65).
He was a damn good writer as well- what more can one say?
That answers my question on whether he was Meredith’s father…
miss you Allan manings tell Bonnie franklin pat Harrington Jr. Mackenzie Philip Valerie bertinelli glenn scarpelli Nanette fabray Michael lembeck perry grand dick bensfeld Allen rickan Whitney Blake normon lear