Alan Kirschenbaum obit

Comedy Showrunner Alan Kirschenbaum Dies at 51

The comedy veteran co-created the CBS sitcom "Yes Dear," and the upcoming mid-season comedy "Friend Me." 

He was not on the list.

Alan Kirschenbaum died on Friday, his agency, CAA, has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 51 years old.

The TV vet spent over three decades writing for various sitcoms, starting with work on Everything’s Relative and Dear John in the late 1980’s. He later wrote for Coach and Everybody Loves Raymond, then served as co-exec producer and writer on Stark Raving Mad and Yes, Dear, the Anthony Clark–Jean Louisa Kelly CBS comedy that he also co-created.

More recently, Kirschenbaum was a consulting producer on NBC’s My Name is Earl and Fox’s Raising Hope, and then co-created with Ajay Saghal the upcoming CBS sitcom Friend Me, about two kids who move out from the midwest to Los Angeles to work for web giant Groupon.

He was remembered by his colleagues at CBS Saturday.

“We are stunned and devastated to hear the news this morning of Alan’s passing.  We have lost a long-time colleague, a valued friend and truly one of the most well liked individuals in our midst,” read a statement from the network.  “We will remember a gifted and successful comedy writer/producer who shared generously of his time beyond his show duties to help the network and studio in a variety of ways; a kind and gentle man; and a warm and witty conversationalist who could always be seen chatting up many on our lot ranging from assistants to senior executives.  Everyone at CBS truly loved Alan and he will be deeply missed.  Our hearts grieve for his wife Vicki, daughter Molly, sister Judi, mother Ethel and his father, comedian Freddie Roman, and all of Alan’s family and friends.”

 

Producer

Friend Me (2012)

Friend Me

7.0

TV Series

executive producer

2012

 

Martha Plimpton, Cloris Leachman, Garret Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, and Lucas Neff in Raising Hope (2010)

Raising Hope

8.0

TV Series

consulting producer

2010–2012

43 episodes

 

Jenna Elfman and Jon Foster in Accidentally on Purpose (2009)

Accidentally on Purpose

6.4

TV Series

consulting producer

2009

2 episodes

 

Jason Lee, Jaime Pressly, Ethan Suplee, Eddie Steeples, and Nadine Velazquez in My Name Is Earl (2005)

My Name Is Earl

7.8

TV Series

consulting producer

2007–2009

41 episodes

 

Michael Rapaport and Jamie Hagan in Fugly (2007)

Fugly

5.2

TV Movie

executive producer

2007

 

Mike O'Malley, Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder in Yes, Dear (2000)

Yes, Dear

6.9

TV Series

executive producer

2000–2006

93 episodes

 

John Goodman in Center of the Universe (2004)

Center of the Universe

5.3

TV Series

executive producer

2004–2005

11 episodes

 

Stark Raving Mad (1999)

Stark Raving Mad

8.0

TV Series

co-executive producerconsulting producer

1999–2000

21 episodes

 

Vivica A. Fox, Jon Cryer, and Duane Martin in Getting Personal (1998)

Getting Personal

7.8

TV Series

executive producer

1998

2 episodes

 

Gregory Hines in The Gregory Hines Show (1997)

The Gregory Hines Show

7.2

TV Series

consulting producer

1997

1 episode

 

Pam Dawber and Rick Reynolds in Life... and Stuff (1997)

Life... and Stuff

4.9

TV Series

executive producer

1997

1 episode

 

Shelley Fabares, Craig T. Nelson, Bill Fagerbakke, Kenneth Kimmins, and Jerry Van Dyke in Coach (1989)

Coach

7.1

TV Series

co-executive producer

1993–1996

34 episodes

 

Down the Shore (1992)

Down the Shore

6.9

TV Series

executive producer

1992–1993

7 episodes

 

Scott Baio and Mary Page Keller in Baby Talk (1991)

Baby Talk

4.0

TV Series

co-executive producer

1991–1992

 

Writer

Friend Me (2012)

Friend Me

7.0

TV Series

created by

2012

8 episodes

 

Martha Plimpton, Cloris Leachman, Garret Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, and Lucas Neff in Raising Hope (2010)

Raising Hope

8.0

TV Series

written by

2010–2012

4 episodes

 

Jason Lee, Jaime Pressly, Ethan Suplee, Eddie Steeples, and Nadine Velazquez in My Name Is Earl (2005)

My Name Is Earl

7.8

TV Series

written bystory by

2008–2009

4 episodes

 

Michael Rapaport and Jamie Hagan in Fugly (2007)

Fugly

5.2

TV Movie

Writer

2007

 

Mike O'Malley, Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder in Yes, Dear (2000)

Yes, Dear

6.9

TV Series

created byteleplay bywritten by ...

2000–2006

122 episodes

 

John Goodman in Center of the Universe (2004)

Center of the Universe

5.3

TV Series

storywriter

2004–2005

2 episodes

 

Stark Raving Mad (1999)

Stark Raving Mad

8.0

TV Series

written by

1999–2000

2 episodes

 

Vivica A. Fox, Jon Cryer, and Duane Martin in Getting Personal (1998)

Getting Personal

7.8

TV Series

written by

1998

1 episode

 

Gregory Hines in The Gregory Hines Show (1997)

The Gregory Hines Show

7.2

TV Series

Writer

1997–1999

 

Shelley Fabares, Craig T. Nelson, Bill Fagerbakke, Kenneth Kimmins, and Jerry Van Dyke in Coach (1989)

Coach

7.1

TV Series

written byteleplay by

1993–1995

8 episodes

 

Down the Shore (1992)

Down the Shore

6.9

TV Series

created bywritten by

1992–1993

29 episodes

 

Scott Baio and Mary Page Keller in Baby Talk (1991)

Baby Talk

4.0

TV Series

written by

1991

3 episodes

 

Anything But Love (1989)

Anything But Love

6.9

TV Series

written by

1989–1990

2 episodes

 

Judd Hirsch in Dear John (1988)

Dear John

6.8

TV Series

teleplay bywritten bystory by

1989

5 episodes

 

Kelly Bishop and Tony Roberts in The Thorns (1988)

The Thorns

7.8

TV Series

written by

1988

1 episode

 

Everything's Relative

5.2

TV Series

written by

1987

1 episode

 

Director

Mike O'Malley, Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder in Yes, Dear (2000)

Yes, Dear

6.9

TV Series

Director

2001–2003

3 episodes

 

Peter Boyle, Brad Garrett, Patricia Heaton, Doris Roberts, and Ray Romano in Everybody Loves Raymond (1996)

Everybody Loves Raymond

7.3

TV Series

Director

1996

2 episodes

 

Down the Shore (1992)

Down the Shore

6.9

TV Series

Director

1993

2 episodes

 

Actor

Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000)

Curb Your Enthusiasm

8.8

TV Series

Poker Player #1

2005

1 episode

 

Additional Crew

Judd Hirsch in Dear John (1988)

Dear John

6.8

TV Series

story editor

1988

2 episodes

 

Self

The Aristocrats (2005)

The Aristocrats

6.4

Self - WriterSelf - Producer

2005

 

Archive Footage

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards (2013)

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards

6.8

TV Special

Self (In Memoriam) (archive footage)

2013