Dick Bensfield obit

Richard Bensfield Obituary

He was not on the list. 

June 18, 1926 - June 24, 2016 Dick Bensfield, a pioneering writer and producer of hit TV sitcoms who began his career writing scripts for the Ozzie and Harriet show, died at his home in La Jolla on June 24, 2016. He was 90. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson's disease. With his writing and producing partner Perry Grant, Bensfield wrote for more than 35 TV shows. They included Maude, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry RFD, The Odd Couple, and The Partridge Family, among many others. He also served as co-executive producer of the Norman Lear sitcom One Day at a Time, as well as 227, Hello Larry, and Different Strokes. Richard Edward Bensfield was born on June 18, 1926 in Los Angeles. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and attended college thereafter. In 1952, Bensfield met Grant after they learned through a mutual friend that Ozzie Nelson needed a writer for his new television show, Ozzie and Harriet. The two decided to pool their talents and apply for the job. They were hired and wrote for the show for all of its 14 seasons, beginning a collaboration that lasted over forty years. Dick Bensfield is survived by his wife of 67 years, Donna, his daughter Jan Sturdivant of Santa Cruz, CA, his son Thomas of San Diego, four grandchildren, and a cousin, James Bensfield of Washington, DC.

 

Writer

Ann Jillian (1989)

Ann Jillian

6.5

TV Series

written by

1990

1 episode

 

Marla Gibbs, Regina King, Curtis Baldwin, Kia Goodwin, Alaina Reed-Hall, Jackée Harry, Helen Martin, and Hal Williams in 227 (1985)

227

6.8

TV Series

written byteleplay by

1985–1989

12 episodes

 

Double Trouble (1984)

Double Trouble

7.3

TV Series

written by

1985

1 episode

 

Valerie Bertinelli, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr., and Mackenzie Phillips in One Day at a Time (1975)

One Day at a Time

6.6

TV Series

written byteleplay bystory by

1975–1984

53 episodes

 

Ron Glass and Demond Wilson in The New Odd Couple (1982)

The New Odd Couple

4.8

TV Series

written by

1983

1 episode

 

McLean Stevenson in Hello, Larry (1979)

Hello, Larry

5.7

TV Series

written bystory bycreated by ...

1979–1980

38 episodes

 

The Fosters (1976)

The Fosters

7.0

TV Series

original script

1977

1 episode

 

Hector Elizondo in Popi (1975)

Popi

6.9

TV Series

written by

1976

1 episode

 

John Amos, Ralph Carter, Ja'net DuBois, Esther Rolle, BernNadette Stanis, and Jimmie 'JJ' Walker in Good Times (1974)

Good Times

7.5

TV Series

teleplay bywritten bystory by

1975

5 episodes

 

Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Marion Ross, Tom Bosley, Erin Moran, Don Most, and Anson Williams in Happy Days (1974)

Happy Days

7.4

TV Series

written by

1974–1975

5 episodes

 

Alex Rocco in Three for the Road (1975)

Three for the Road

7.4

TV Series

writer

1975

1 episode

 

Bea Arthur in Maude (1972)

Maude

7.3

TV Series

written by

1975

1 episode

 

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons (1975)

The Jeffersons

7.5

TV Series

written by

1975

1 episode

 

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall in The Odd Couple (1970)

The Odd Couple

7.9

TV Series

written by

1970–1974

7 episodes

 

The Partridge Family (1970)

The Partridge Family

6.6

TV Series

written by (as Richard Bensfield)

1972–1974

6 episodes

 

The Little People (1972)

The Little People

7.8

TV Series

Writer

1972–1974

7 episodes

 

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972)

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

7.6

TV Series

story (as Richard Bensfield)

1973–1974

3 episodes

 

Harriet Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, Susan Sennett, and Brenda Sykes in Ozzie's Girls (1973)

Ozzie's Girls

7.3

TV Series

screenplay

1973

1 episode

 

The Girl with Something Extra (1973)

The Girl with Something Extra

6.6

TV Series

story

1973

1 episode

 

Stuart Margolin and Julie Newmar in Love, American Style (1969)

Love, American Style

6.8

TV Series

written byWriter

1971–1973

5 episodes

 

Big Daddy

TV Movie

Writer

1973

 

Ted Bessell in Me and the Chimp (1972)

Me and the Chimp

3.5

TV Series

written by

1972

1 episode

 

Getting Together (1971)

Getting Together

7.3

TV Series

written by

1971

2 episodes

 

Sandy Duncan in Funny Face (1971)

Funny Face

6.4

TV Series

written by

1971

1 episode

 

Andy Griffith in Mayberry R.F.D. (1968)

Mayberry R.F.D.

5.9

TV Series

written byteleplay by

1968–1971

33 episodes

 

"Make Room for Granddaddy" Sid Melton, Roosevelt Grier, Angela Cartwright, Marjorie Lord, Danny Thomas, Michael Hughes

Make Room for Granddaddy

5.9

TV Series

Writer

1970

1 episode

 

Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie (1965)

I Dream of Jeannie

7.4

TV Series

written by

1969–1970

4 episodes

 

Bob Denver and Herb Edelman in The Good Guys (1968)

The Good Guys

6.9

TV Series

written by

1969

1 episode

 

Doris Day in The Doris Day Show (1968)

The Doris Day Show

7.2

TV Series

written by

1968–1969

2 episodes

 

Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, and Andy Griffith in The Andy Griffith Show (1960)

The Andy Griffith Show

8.4

TV Series

written by

1967–1968

7 episodes

 

Accidental Family (1967)

Accidental Family

6.2

TV Series

written by

1967

1 episode

 

Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance in The Lucy Show (1962)

The Lucy Show

7.2

TV Series

written by (as Richard Bensfield)

1966

1 episode

 

Harriet Nelson, David Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, and Ricky Nelson in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952)

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet

7.4

TV Series

storyline writerscreenplaywritten by ...

1952–1966

329 episodes

 

Christmas with the Nelsons: The Early Years

Writer

1952

 

Producer

Marla Gibbs, Regina King, Curtis Baldwin, Kia Goodwin, Alaina Reed-Hall, Jackée Harry, Helen Martin, and Hal Williams in 227 (1985)

227

6.8

TV Series

executive producer

1985–1988

48 episodes

 

TLC (1984)

TLC

TV Movie

executive producer

1984

 

Valerie Bertinelli, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr., and Mackenzie Phillips in One Day at a Time (1975)

One Day at a Time

6.6

TV Series

executive producerproducer

1976–1984

196 episodes

 

McLean Stevenson in Hello, Larry (1979)

Hello, Larry

5.7

TV Series

executive producer

1979

14 episodes

 

Todd Bridges, Gary Coleman, and Dana Plato in Diff'rent Strokes (1978)

Diff'rent Strokes

6.7

TV Series

executive producer

1979

1 episode

 

Script and Continuity Department

Valerie Bertinelli, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr., and Mackenzie Phillips in One Day at a Time (1975)

One Day at a Time

6.6

TV Series

script supervisor

1976–1979

74 episodes

 

Ted Bessell in Me and the Chimp (1972)

Me and the Chimp

3.5

TV Series

script consultant

1972

1 episode

 

Sandy Duncan in Funny Face (1971)

Funny Face

6.4

TV Series

script consultant

1971

1 episode

 

Additional Crew

Todd Bridges, Gary Coleman, and Dana Plato in Diff'rent Strokes (1978)

Diff'rent Strokes

6.7

TV Series

creative consultant

1979–1985

5 episodes

 

McLean Stevenson in Hello, Larry (1979)

Hello, Larry

5.7

TV Series

creative consultant

1979–1980

3 episodes

 

Valerie Bertinelli, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr., and Mackenzie Phillips in One Day at a Time (1975)

One Day at a Time

6.6

TV Series

story editor

1975–1976

5 episodes

 

Self

227: Stories from the Stoop

Video

Self

2004