Charlie Hauck obit

Charlie Hauck, Writer-Producer of ‘Maude’ and ‘Frasier,’ Dies at 79

He was not on the list.

Charlie Hauck, Emmy-nominated writer-producer of “Maude” and “Frasier,” died of complications from pancreatic cancer on Saturday at the age of 79. Warner Bros. TV confirmed his death at his home in Los Angeles to Variety.

The longtime writer worked on the CBS series “Maude” for three seasons, both as a producer and writer of nearly 20 episodes. In 1979, Hauck co-created the ABC series “The Associates,” which earned him an Emmy nomination for outstanding writing in a comedy series.

Hauck reunited with “Maude” producer Elliot Shoenman in the ’90s, as an executive producer and writer on ABC comedy series “Home Improvement,” starring Tim Allen. In 2000, he moved on to join the staff of NBC’s “Frasier,” for which he received his second Emmy nomination as one of the producers of an outstanding comedy series.

“I think it is fair to look at something and say, ‘I could do that,'” Hauck said of writing for the screen in a 1993 interview with The Washington Post. “The tricky thing about television is it is sort of like marksmanship: You say, ‘I could do that,’ but not everybody can. As self-referential and formulaic and sappy as a lot of TV seems, even on the lower levels it is kind of difficult to do. On the higher levels — a good show on a good night — television can be quite exquisite and very difficult.”

Hauck was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from John Carroll University, the city’s Jesuit university. In 1963, he moved to Pittsburgh, where he served as a reporter and Pittsburgh bureau chief of Businessweek magazine.

The writer broke into the entertainment industry as a TV reporter and anchor at Pittsburgh’s WQED, where he also worked on “Drink, Drank, Drunk,” a PBS special on alcoholism. Even when he moved to Los Angeles in 1974, Hauck kept in touch with comedian Michael Keaton, who he had met during his time at WQED.

“Charlie was one of the first people who opened the door for me,” said Keaton. “I was about a month away from moving to New York, and Charlie said, ‘I think you ought to think about Los Angeles.’ And I’ll never forget the expression he used. He said, ‘It’s wide open out here.’ I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll come out,’ and I never thought I’d stay, and I just never left.”

Hauck found initial success in Hollywood, booking opportunities to write for “The Flip Wilson Special.” A script he wrote for “The Bob Newhart Show” soon landed him the writer position on “Maude.”

Hauck also wrote the pilot episode of “The Two of Us,” CBS’ long-running series that was subsequently titled “Valerie’s Family” and, later, “The Hogan Family.”

For several years, Hauck also emceed the Humanitas Prize, an event founded by Fr. Ellwood “Bud” Kieser to celebrate writers for making a positive impact through their work. He also served as a trustee of the Writers Guild Foundation.

Hauck is survived by his partner Logan Dalla Betta, daughter Flannery, sons Maurice, Seth and Perry, sister Maryanne Straub and grandchildren Natasha and Oliver.

Donations may be made to Humanitas Prize.

 

Producer

Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Peri Gilpin, and Jane Leeves in Frasier (1993)

Frasier

8.2

TV Series

consulting producer

supervising producer

1999–2000

24 episodes

 

Nathan Lane in Encore! Encore! (1998)

Encore! Encore!

7.3

TV Series

consulting producer

1999

1 episode

 

Tim Allen, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Patricia Richardson, Zachery Ty Bryan, Earl Hindman, and Taran Noah Smith in Home Improvement (1991)

Home Improvement

7.2

TV Series

executive producer

1996–1998

50 episodes

 

Jason Bateman, Dan Ponce, Sandy Duncan, Jeremy Licht, and Josh Taylor in Valerie (1986)

Valerie

6.6

TV Series

executive producer

1986

1 episode

 

Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984)

Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs

7.4

TV Series

executive producer

1984

1 episode

 

Back Together (1984)

Back Together

TV Movie

executive producer

1984

 

Branagan and Mapes

TV Movie

executive producer

1983

 

Harry's Battles (1981)

Harry's Battles

7.3

TV Movie

producer

1981

 

Oliver Clark, Peter Cook, Dana Hill, and Mimi Kennedy in The Two of Us (1981)

The Two of Us

7.2

TV Series

producer

1981

2 episodes

 

Mr. Dugan

TV Series

executive producer

1979

 

Barney Martin in A Dog's Life (1979)

A Dog's Life

6.3

TV Movie

producer

1979

 

Apple Pie (1978)

Apple Pie

6.9

TV Series

producer

1978

 

Bea Arthur in Maude (1972)

Maude

7.3

TV Series

producer

1976–1978

48 episodes

 

Script and Continuity Department

Bea Arthur in Maude (1972)

Maude

7.3

TV Series

script supervisor

script consultant

script editor

1975–1978

63 episodes