Bernie Orenstein, the television comedy writer and producer behind shows including The New Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl and Sanford and Son, died on 14 September aged 95.
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01Summary
- 01His family confirmed that Bernie Orenstein died on 14 September aged 95.
- 02He frequently collaborated with Saul Turteltaub on programmes including The New Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show, Kate & Allie, What’s Happening!! and Cosby.
- 03Orenstein also worked on Sanford and Son and said star Redd Foxx was protective of the two white Jewish writers on the Black show.
- 04Over a 40-year career, he worked with Joan Rivers, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Dick Van Dyke, Marlo Thomas and Bing Crosby.
- 05He later mentored writers and producers at Long Island University Brooklyn’s TV Writers Studio MFA programme.
02Why it matters
Orenstein helped shape American television comedy across several decades and worked on a long list of well-known series. His death marks the loss of a writer-producer whose work helped define network sitcoms.
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