Sherry Coben obit

Sherry Coben Dies: Creator Of ‘Kate & Allie’ Was 71

 

She was not on the list.

Sherry Coben, a Daytime Emmy-winning writer-producer best known for creating Kate & Allie, died October 16 of cancer at her home in New Milford, NJ. She was 71.

Coben was the mastermind behind the Emmy-winning comedy that starred Jane Curtin and Susan St. James. Shot in the Ed Sullivan Theater, Kate & Allie quickly became a top 10 hit and ran for six seasons on CBS.

Coben began her career in the art department at KYW-TV in Philadelphia, doing graphics, sets, illustrations and animation for all their local programming and The Mike Douglas Show. After moving to New York City and working freelance as an artist for a wide range of television shows and magazines, she got her break in writing on the beloved NBC children’s program Hot Hero Sandwich, for which she received an Daytime Emmy.

She went on to write for the ABC soap opera Ryan’s Hope in 1980 before creating the hit CBS sitcom four years later. It lasted until 1989, airing 122 episodes.

Coben also was a writer-producer on the Saturday morning CBS series Bailey Kipper’s P.O.V. and creator-writer of the web series Little Women, Big Cars.

In addition to her work as a writer-producer, Coben was a proud mentor and active volunteer in service of the next generation of high-caliber writers, performers, artists and human beings.

She is survived by her husband, film editor Patrick McMahon, and daughters Kaley McMahon and Jama McMahon.

Writer

Julie Warner, Kristy Swanson, Amy Yasbeck, and Anita Barone in Little Women, Big Cars 2 (2012)

Little Women, Big Cars 2

5.7

Writer

2012

 

Little Women, Big Cars (2012)

Little Women, Big Cars

6.5

Writer

2012

 

Michael Galeota in Bailey Kipper's P.O.V. (1996)

Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.

8.0

TV Series

written by

writer

1996

3 episodes

 

Kate & Allie (1984)

Kate & Allie

6.9

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1984–1989

122 episodes

 

Tricia Pursley and Jack Rose in Love, Long Distance (1985)

Love, Long Distance

TV Movie

Writer

1985

 

NBC Special Treat (1975)

NBC Special Treat

6.8

TV Series

writer

1982

1 episode

 

Kate Mulgrew, Bernard Barrow, Helen Gallagher, Malcolm Groome, and Michael Hawkins in Ryan's Hope (1975)

Ryan's Hope

7.2

TV Series

writer

story

1980–1981

120 episodes

 

Hot Hero Sandwich

2.6

TV Series

Writer (1979)

1979–1980

 

Producer

Julie Warner, Kristy Swanson, Amy Yasbeck, and Anita Barone in Little Women, Big Cars 2 (2012)

Little Women, Big Cars 2

5.7

producer

2012

 

Little Women, Big Cars (2012)

Little Women, Big Cars

6.5

producer

2012

 

Michael Galeota in Bailey Kipper's P.O.V. (1996)

Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.

8.0

TV Series

co-producer

1996

 

Tricia Pursley and Jack Rose in Love, Long Distance (1985)

Love, Long Distance

TV Movie

producer

1985

 

Additional Crew

Kate & Allie (1984)

Kate & Allie

6.9

TV Series

executive story editor

story editor

1984–1985

3 episodes