Gelbart, Larry (1923- ) U.S

Gelbart, Larry University), Montreal, Quebec, B.A. in communica- Television Special tions 1970. Married: Bruce Griffin, 1987; two chil- 1994 Contact with Hana Gartner (host) dren. Began career asradio show host, CJAD, Montreal, 1970; began television career at CBC, Mon- Radio treal, 1974; host, interviewer, reporter, various televi- CJAD Montreal (interviewer), 1970; This Country in sion and radio programs. Recipient: Gordon Sinclair the Morning, 1976. Award, 1985; three Geminis. Further Reading Television Series "Gartner to Join Mansbridge: The Current Host of The Fifth Es- 1977-82 Take 30 (host) tate Will Replace Wallin on Prime Time News," Globe and 1978 This Half Hour Mail (June 3, 1995) "The National's New Face: Hana Gartner Brings Gutsy Style to 1982-95, 2000- The Fifth Estate (host) CBC TV," Maclean' s (September 18, 1995) 1995- Prime Time News (cohost) "Star Power Gets in the Way (for Hana Gartner)," Globe and 1995- The National Magazine Mail (June 22, 1993) Gelbart, Larry (1923- ) U.S. Writer, Producer As producer of M*A*S*H, Larry Gelbart provided nu- In the early 1950s Gelbart became part of the ex- merous contributions to one of television's most inno- traordinarily talented crew of writers on Sid Caesar's vative and socially aware sitcoms. Beyond this Your Show of Shows. This group, which included Carl accomplishment, he has been a dynamic force in Reiner, Howard Morris, Mel Brooks, and Woody broadcasting for more than 40 years. Gelbart has writ- Allen, helped define the medium in its earlier days. ten for radio, television, film, and the stage. After leav- Shortly after becoming head writer for The Pat Boone ing television in the early 1980s, Gelbart went on to Show, Gelbart became disgusted by broadcasting's produce feature films, including Oh, God! (1977) and communist witch hunts and moved to England. While Tootsie (1982). In the 1990s he returned to television in London, he continued to work in British film and to write a trio of notable made -for -cable movies for television. HBO: Mastergate (1992), an adaptation of his stage In the early 1970s Gene Reynolds, who was devel- play parodying a congressional hearing about events oping a television version of the film M*A*S*H, en- reminiscent of the Iran -Contra scandal; Barbarians at ticed Gelbart to write the pilot script. Gelbart was leery the Gate (1993), which is based on the true story of F. about returning to American television, but he became Ross Johnson's attempt to purchase the Nabisco cor- interested when he learned that CBS was willing to al- poration and serves as a commentary on 1980s corpo- low the series to depict the horrors of war realistically. rate culture; and Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997), When CBS picked up the series in 1972, Gelbart be- a satire about media executives' greed as they battle to came its creative consultant. One year later, Gelbart own a professional football team. Gelbart also served joined Reynolds as coproducer. as executive producer for the latter project. Gelbart provided numerous innovations to an idea During the 1940s Gelbart began working as a writer that had already been covered in a best-selling novel for Fanny Brice's radio show, and as a gag writer for and a box office hit. Recalling a Lenny Bruce bit on Danny Thomas. After a brief stint in the U.S. Army, draft dodgers, Gelbart created Corporal Klinger, a where he wrote for Armed Forces Radio, Gelbart character who dressed in women's clothing in hopes of joined the writing staff of Duffy' s Tavern, a popular ra- getting a "Section Eight" discharge. Written as a one- dio program. He also wrote for Bob Hope, whom he time character, Gelbart's Klinger, played by Jamie followed to television. Farr, became central to the long -running series. When 959.

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