Scriptwriter Rick Mittleman, who wrote episodes of a number of short-lived shows and one-season wonders, died Wednesday (July 30th) at the age of 84. Over the course of his long career he wrote for more than 50 different shows. A non-discriminating writer, Mittleman penned episodes of sitcoms and dramas.
Mittleman got his start as a scriptwriter in the early 1960s and over the course of the next four decades wrote for dozens of popular shows including The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Bewitched, The Odd Couple, Sanford in Son, CHiPs, The Love Boat, MacGyver and Murder, She Wrote. His last credit at IMDb is for a 1999 episode of Early Edition.
In addition to these well-known shows, Mittleman also wrote for a wide variety of less popular and less successful series: Hey, Landlord, Good Morning, World, My World and Welcome to It, Bridget Loves Bernie, A Touch of Grace, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,Roll Out, Dusty’s Trail, Karen, Gemini Man, Sanford Arms, Freebie and the Bean, Jennifer Slept Here and The Wizard.
Mittleman was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and two WGA Awards, including one for his work on My World and Welcome to It. Obituaries can be found at The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline Hollywood.
This brings up an area that needs to be explored more: The writers who worked (toiled?) on these shows.
When you think of the programs that tanked (which are often little different than the “hits”), it’s staggering to consider the number of folks who turned out material over the decades.
It is amazing the range Mr. Mittleman had. It is fascinating to read the list of shows that he wrote for. They really run the gamut, from The Dick Van Dyke Show to Dusty’s Trail. He really could write for any type of series. It makes me think of John Rich, who was like that, but in the director’s chair. Mr. Mittleman certainly brought happiness to many people over the years. May he rest in peace.
It is such a shame there is no database online that indicates what actual episodes were written by a writer. IMDB only indicates seasons, not actual episodes. Difficult when one wants to know if they have seen a writers work. Such a shame such info seems unavailable.