Phil Hahn, Emmy-Winning Original Writer on ‘Laugh-In,’ Dies at 87

Phil Hahn, an Emmy-winning original writer on 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In' who also penned jokes for the likes of Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie and Dolly Parton, has died. He was 87. 

He was not on the list.

Phil Hahn, an Emmy-winning original writer on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In — who also penned jokes for Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie and Dolly Parton during his career — has died. He was 87.

Hahn died Sunday in Coos Bay, Oregon, his ex-wife, Joanne Dalsass, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was diagnosed with lung cancer just a few weeks ago.

Hahn wrote five episodes of Get Smart early in his career and worked on other TV comedies like Three’s Company, Head of the Class, Punky Brewster and Mama’s Family.

After penning a 1965 episode for Dr. Kildare and writing for The Banana Splits Adventure Hour and the 1967 Academy Awards, Hahn was hired by George Schlatter for the staff of NBC’s Laugh-In, which premiered on Jan. 22, 1968.

Five months later, Hahn received his Emmy for outstanding writing in music or variety, sharing the honor with frequent writing partners Jack Hanrahan and Coslough Johnson, Chris Bearde, Paul Keyes, Marc London, Allan Manings, David Panich, Hugh Wedlock Jr. and Digby Wolfe.

He was nominated again for Laugh-In in 1969 (alongside Lorne Michaels and others) and served as a script supervisor on the show.

Hahn joined CBS’ The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour for its second season in 1972 and stuck around for its 1974 conclusion, then rejoined the (now divorced) couple for The Sonny and Cher Show in 1976, writing and producing during its two seasons. He landed three more Emmy noms for those two programs, working alongside Steve Martin and Bob Einstein.

He also did Donny and Marie Osmond’s ABC variety show for four seasons in the ’70s and wrote for Parton’s short-lived Dolly, also for ABC, in 1987-88.

Born on Aug. 21, 1932, in Bloomington, Kansas, Hahn attended Osborne High School and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1954.

He worked for Hallmark Cards, published articles and cartoons in Playboy, Esquire and Mad magazines and wrote kids books with Hanrahan before being hired in the early 1960s by Hanna-Barbera. He worked for Fantastic Four and other cartoons during his stay there.

Hahn also wrote for programs toplined by Ken Berry, George Kirby, David Frost, Andy Williams, Soupy Sales, Ray Stevens, The Fifth Dimension, John Denver and Barbara Mandrell and served as head writer for the U.S. portion of the Live Aid Concert in 1985.

Survivors include his wife, Kathleen; their twin daughters, Karlie and Kelsie; and his granddaughter, Joanna.

Writer

Dolly Parton in Dolly (1987)

Dolly

7.3

TV Series

writing supervisor

written by

writer

1987–1988

14 episodes

 

Vicki Lawrence in Mama's Family (1983)

Mama's Family

7.3

TV Series

written by

1988

1 episode

 

Soleil Moon Frye, Susie Garrett, George Gaynes, and Cherie Johnson in Punky Brewster (1984)

Punky Brewster

6.6

TV Series

written by

1987

1 episode

 

Robin Givens, Brian Robbins, Dan Frischman, Khrystyne Haje, Howard Hesseman, and Dan Schneider in Head of the Class (1986)

Head of the Class

6.6

TV Series

written by

1987

1 episode

 

Don Adams in Check It Out (1985)

Check It Out

6.0

TV Series

teleplay

1986

1 episode

 

The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard (1984)

The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard

7.6

TV Movie

written by

1984

 

The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour (1983)

The 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour

6.5

TV Series

writer

1983

1 episode

 

The Nashville Palace (1980)

The Nashville Palace

TV Series

written by

1981

2 episodes

 

Barbara Mandrell, Irlene Mandrell, and Louise Mandrell in Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (1980)

Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters

6.9

TV Series

writing supervisor

1980

3 episodes

 

G.I.'s

TV Movie

written by

1980

 

The Osmond Family Show

TV Series

supervising writer

writing supervisor

1979

8 episodes

 

Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond in Donny and Marie (1975)

Donny and Marie

6.2

TV Series

writing supervisor

writer

1975–1979

21 episodes

 

How to Survive the 70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978)

How to Survive the 70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness

5.8

TV Special

written by

1978

 

John Denver in Australia

TV Special

Writer

1978

 

John Wayne, David Carradine, Michael Ansara, Clayton Moore, Chuck Connors, Hugh O'Brian, and Clint Walker in ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration (1978)

ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration

8.2

TV Special

Writer

1978

 

John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, and Joyce DeWitt in Three's Company (1976)

Three's Company

7.5

TV Series

story by

teleplay by

1977

1 episode

 

The David Soul and Friends Special

TV Special

Writer

1977

 

The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971)

The Sonny and Cher Show

6.9

TV Series

writing supervisor

1976–1977

33 episodes

 

The John Davidson Show

TV Series

Writer

1976

1 episode

 

Hamburgers

TV Movie

Writer

1974

 

The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971)

The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour

7.1

TV Series

writer

1971–1974

59 episodes

 

Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour

5.4

TV Series

head writer

1972

 

Ken Berry in The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show (1972)

The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show

6.3

TV Series

writer

1972

1 episode

 

The David Frost Revue

6.5

TV Series

Writer

1971

1 episode

 

The Andy Williams Show (1969)

The Andy Williams Show

7.9

TV Series

Writer

1970

1 episode

 

America

TV Special

Writer

1970

 

The Soupy Sales Show

TV Movie

Writer

1970

 

The Ray Stevens Show (1970)

The Ray Stevens Show

7.2

TV Series

writing supervisor

1970

2 episodes

 

The Fifth Dimension Special: An Odyssey in the Cosmic Universe of Peter Max (1970)

The Fifth Dimension Special: An Odyssey in the Cosmic Universe of Peter Max

7.4

TV Movie

Writer

1970

 

The Frog

Short

story

1969

 

Fred Astaire and Barrie Chase in The Hollywood Palace (1964)

The Hollywood Palace

8.1

TV Series

special material

1969

1 episode

 

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

8.0

TV Series

written by

1968

24 episodes

 

The Krofft Puppets in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour (1968)

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour

7.3

TV Series

written by

1968

1 episode

 

Don Adams and Barbara Feldon in Get Smart (1965)

Get Smart

8.2

TV Series

teleplay by

written by

1967–1968

5 episodes

 

Jack DeLeon, Paul Frees, Gerald Mohr, and Jo Ann Pflug in Fantastic Four (1967)

Fantastic Four

6.6

TV Series

story by

story

1967–1968

6 episodes

 

Birdman (1967)

Birdman

6.7

TV Series

Writer

1967–1987

 

The 39th Annual Academy Awards (1967)

The 39th Annual Academy Awards

7.2

TV Special

written by

1967

 

Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles (1966)

Frankenstein, Jr. and the Impossibles

6.6

TV Series

story

story by

1966

4 episodes

 

Dr. Kildare (1961)

Dr. Kildare

7.0

TV Series

written by

1965

1 episode

 

Producer

Comedy Break

8.8

TV Series

executive producer (1985)

1985–1986

 

The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard (1984)

The Funniest Joke I Ever Heard

7.6

TV Movie

producer

1984

 

The Osmond Family Show

TV Series

producer

1979

8 episodes

 

Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond in Donny and Marie (1975)

Donny and Marie

6.2

TV Series

producer

1979

1 episode

 

The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971)

The Sonny and Cher Show

6.9

TV Series

producer

1976–1977

33 episodes

 

Harper Valley, U.S.A.

8.1

TV Special

producer

1969

 

Script and Continuity Department

Harper Valley, U.S.A.

8.1

TV Special

writing supervisor

1969

 

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

8.0

TV Series

script supervisor

1968–1969

16 episodes