Dusty Kay obit

Dusty Kay Dies: ‘Entourage', ‘Roseanne' Writer-Producer Was 69

 He was not on the list.

Dusty Kay, a writer and Emmy-nominated producer whose credits include Entourage, Roseanne and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, died April 10 in Summerlin, Nevada, following a brief illness. He was 69.

His death was announced today by his friend and collaborator Bill Nuss. A cause of death was not specified.

Born Eugene L. Kay, in the Bronx, New York, Kay created the short-lived 1987 ABC series Once a Hero, about a comic book hero who crosses over to the real world but looses his superpowers in the transition. The series starred Robert Forster, Milo O'Shea, Caitlin Clarke, and Jeff Lester.

Kay also wrote and produced the TV films Triplecross (1986), starring Ted Wass, and Markie Post, Nick and Frankie, starring Ed Marinaro, Robert Firth and Robert Forster, and Cutty Williams (1996) starring James Remar, and Richard Libertini.

Other writing credits include Good Times, James at 16, Eight is Enough, Early Edition, and The Twilight Zone (2002).

Kay also acted on occasion, appearing in the feature films Hacks (John Ritter, Richard Kind, Bob Odenkirk, Lisa Kudrow) and Gun Shy (Sandra Bullock, Liam Neeson, Oliver Platt).

While attending Northwestern University, where he took on the name Dusty in honor of his favorite actor Dustin Hoffman, Kay along with Nuss developed The Mee-Ow Show, the long-running (50 years) college improv show. It served as a breeding ground for scores of writers, directors, creators, showrunners and actors including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ana Gasteyer, and Seth Meyers. He was celebrated for that achievement last month at Northwestern.

In 2017, Kay, along with Nuss, authored the book for the musical The Honeymooners.

On stage, Kay and his frequent collaborator Bill Nuss wrote the book for a musical adaptation of the Jackie Gleason sitcom The Honeymooners. The musical, premiering in 2017 at the Paper Mill Playhouse, featured music by Stephen Weiner and lyrics by Peter Mills.

Kay is survived by cousins Ira and Laura Behr, Sheri Behr, Bernard and Felicia Rosen, and second cousins, Roxanne Behr, Jesse Behr, and Jenna Rosen. Donations can be made to Chabad of Westwood in his honor.

 

Producer

Kevin Dillon, Adrian Grenier, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly, and Jerry Ferrara in Entourage (2004)

Entourage

8.4

TV Series

supervising producer

2007

9 episodes

 

Cutty Whitman

6.2

TV Movie

executive producer

1996

 

John Goodman, Roseanne Barr, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman, Alicia Goranson, and Laurie Metcalf in Roseanne (1988)

Roseanne

7.0

TV Series

producer

1994–1995

25 episodes

 

Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

6.7

TV Series

co-supervising producer

1993

5 episodes

 

Robert Firth in Mick and Frankie (1989)

Mick and Frankie

TV Movie

executive producer

1989

 

Once a Hero (1987)

Once a Hero

6.8

TV Series

executive producer

1987

1 episode

 

Triplecross (1986)

Triplecross

5.7

TV Movie

producer

1986

 

Writer

Kevin Dillon, Adrian Grenier, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Connolly, and Jerry Ferrara in Entourage (2004)

Entourage

8.4

TV Series

written by

2007

1 episode

 

The Twilight Zone (2002)

The Twilight Zone

7.2

TV Series

written by

2002

1 episode

 

Kyle Chandler and Shanesia Davis in Early Edition (1996)

Early Edition

7.6

TV Series

written by

1997

2 episodes

 

Cutty Whitman

6.2

TV Movie

Writer

1996

 

John Goodman, Roseanne Barr, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman, Alicia Goranson, and Laurie Metcalf in Roseanne (1988)

Roseanne

7.0

TV Series

written by

1994

1 episode

 

Robert Firth in Mick and Frankie (1989)

Mick and Frankie

TV Movie

Writer

1989

 

Once a Hero (1987)

Once a Hero

6.8

TV Series

created by

creator

writer

1987

7 episodes

 

Triplecross (1986)

Triplecross

5.7

TV Movie

Writer

1986

 

Actor

Robert Firth in Mitzvah Communion (2011)

Mitzvah Communion

Short

Rabbi Barry Barnett

2011

 

Rob Lowe, Joe Pantoliano, Tom Sizemore, Sarah Lancaster, and James J. Zito III in Dr. Vegas (2004)

Dr. Vegas

5.5

TV Series

Mel

2004

1 episode

 

Sandra Bullock, Liam Neeson, and Oliver Platt in Gun Shy (2000)

Gun Shy

5.6

Kapstein

2000

 

The Secret Life of Girls (1999)

The Secret Life of Girls

5.3

Mr. Buchinsky

1999

 

Hacks (1997)

Hacks

4.7

Ira Gold

1997

 

Robert Firth in Mick and Frankie (1989)

Mick and Frankie

TV Movie

Prison Inmate

1989