Allan Burns: Difference between revisions

{{for2for-multi|the Scottish surgeon|[[Allan Burns (surgeon)]]|other people with similar names|[[Alan Burns (disambiguation)|{{!}}Alan Burns]]}}

| birth_place = [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], U.S.

'''Allan Pennington Burns''' (May 18, 1935{{spnd}}January 30, 2021)<ref name = NYT>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/arts/television/allan-burns-dead.html|title = Allan Burns, a Creator of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 85|last = Sandomir|first = Richard|date = February 3, 2021|access-date = February 3, 2021|work = [[The New York Times]]}}</ref> was an American [[screenwriter]] and [[television producer]]. He was best known for co-creating and writing for the television sitcoms ''[[The Munsters]]'' and ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]''.

Burns was born in [[Baltimore]] on May 18, 1935.<ref name=Haring>{{cite news|title=Allan Burns Dies: Co-Creator Of 'The Munsters' And 'Mary Tyler Moore Show' Was 85|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/allan-burns-dies-the-munters-mary-tyler-moore-rhoda-obituary-1234684359/|first=Bruce|last=Haring|date=January 31, 2021|access-date=January 31, 2021|magazine=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref name=Shafer>{{cite news|title=Allan Burns, Emmy-Winning Writer and Creator of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 85|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/allan-burns-dead-dies-writer-creator-mary-tyler-moore-show-1234896855/|first=Ellise|last=Shafer|date=January 31, 2021|access-date=January 31, 2021|magazine=Variety}}</ref> His father died when he was nine years old. Three years later, he moved to [[Honolulu]] with his mother after his older brother was assigned to [[Naval Station Pearl Harbor]].<ref name = NYT/> He attended [[Punahou School]] and illustrated a cartoon that featured several times a week in the ''[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]''.<ref name=Barnes>{{cite news|title=Allan Burns, Co-Creator of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' Dies at 85|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/allan-burns-dead-mary-tyler-moore-show-lou-grant-my-mother-car-creator-was-85-1122683|first=Mike|last=Barnes|date=January 31, 2021|access-date=January 31, 2021|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> He studied architecture at the [[University of Oregon]] starting in 1953,<ref name=Haring/><ref name=Shafer/> after being awarded a partial [[scholarship]]. However, heHe dropped out two years later and moved to Los Angeles, where he secured a job as a page for [[NBC]].<ref name=Barnes/>

After his stint writing for Jay Ward, Burns formed a partnership with [[Chris Hayward]]. They created the series ''[[The Munsters]]'' (1964) and ''[[My Mother the Car]]'' (1965), and werethey laterwere hired by producer [[Leonard B. Stern|Leonard Stern]] as story editors for the [[CBS]] series ''[[He & She]]'', for which they won an Emmy award for comedy writing.<ref name=Haring/> The last project between Hayward and Burns would be as story editors forwas the sitcom ''[[Get Smart]]''.<ref name=Haring/> During this time, Burns also co-wrote the unaired version of the 1965 pilot episode of ''[[The Smothers Brothers Show]]''.<ref name=Haring/>

Burns first met [[James L. Brooks]] in 1965, getting him a writing job on his show ''[[My Mother The Car]]''.<ref>Alex Simon (December 1997 – January 1998). "James L. Brooks: Laughter That Stings Inin Your Throat". Venice Magazine</ref> After being impressed with the [[television pilot]] for Brooks's show ''[[Room 222]]'', Burns began a partnership with Brooks and joined the ''Room 222'' writing staff and later produced the series.<ref name=Haring/>

Burns also worked in film, co-writing the film ''[[A Little Romance]]'' (1979), for which he was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]].<ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81587/a-little-romance|title =A Little Romance (1979)|website = [[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date = January 31, 2021}}</ref> He also wrote the screenplays ''[[Butch and Sundance: The Early Days]]'', ''[[Just the Way You Are (1984 film)|Just the Way You Are]]'' and wrote and directed ''[[Just Between Friends]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/25570%7C0/Allan-Burns#overview|title = Allan Burns|website = [[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date = January 31, 2021}}</ref>

Burns married Joan Bailey in 1964; the couple had two children: Eric and Matthew.<ref name=museum>{{cite web|title=Burns, Allan |work=[[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] |url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/burnsallan.htm |access-date=February 27, 2017 |author=Alley, Robert S. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128224340/http://www.museum.tv/eotv/burnsallan.htm |archive-date=January 28, 2017 }}</ref>

Burns died at his home in Los Angeles, on January 30, 2021, aged 85, from [[Parkinson's disease]] and [[Lewy body dementias|Lewy body dementia]].<ref name = NYT/>

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[[Category:American televisionTelevision producers from Maryland]]

[[Category:Deaths from Parkinson's disease in California]]

[[Category:UniversityTelevision ofshow Oregon alumnicreators]]