David W. Duclon obit

David W. Duclon Dies: ‘Punky Brewster’ Creator Was 74

 He was not on the list.

Top 1980s and 1990s comedy writer-producer David W. Duclon, who created Punky Brewster and co-developed Silver Spoons, died this morning, Jan. 15, after a long illness. He was 74.

Born Warren David Duclon in Rockford, Illinois, Duclon started his career as a writer on classic 1970s sitcoms such as The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons and Diff’rent Strokes.

His first writing credit was on a handful episodes of the The Odd Couple alongside Garry Marshall who took him under his wing and taught him how to be a showrunner while Duclon worked on his hits Happy Days and spinoff Laverne & Shirley.

Over the next decade, Duclon went on to create a slew of sitcoms of his own. He developed CBS’ 1979 comedy Working Stiffs starring James Belushi and Michael Keaton, co-developed the 1982 Silver Spoons, which ran on NBC for four seasons and another in first-run syndication, and co-created the 1987 Fox comedy Boys Will Be Boys starring Matthew Perry.

Duclon also created the 1984 sitcom Punky Brewster, which ran for four seasons, two on NBC and two in syndication. It catapulted its young star Soleil Moon Frye to fame as her titular character became an 1980s pop culture icon. The series earned three Emmy nominations including two for Outstanding Children’s Program.

In a pay-it-forward fashion, Duclon then helped mentor the next generation of showrunners.

He gave My Name Is Earl and Raising Hope creator Greg Garcia his first writing job on the short-lived 1994 sitcom On Our Own, starring Jurnee and Jussie Smollett, Duncan’s last series as a creator. Duclon went on to executive produce Garcia’s first series as a creator, the 1997 Built to Last (which he co-created with Warren Hutcherson). Duclon later wrote an episode of Garcia’s first hit, Yes, Dear, co-created by Alan Kirschenbaum.

“When you’re first starting out in this business, finding that one person who will believe in you is invaluable. For some reason, Dave Duclon believed in a 23-year-old me and gave me my first job,” Garcia said to Deadline. “During the four years I worked under him, I not only learned the ins and outs of sitcom writing, but also how to be a showrunner. Dave ran his shows with confidence, a clear vision, unbridled enthusiasm and, above all else, kindness. I’m a better person for having known Dave, and I’ll always be in his debt for the time he took to be my mentor.”

Another successful showrunner, Meg DeLoatch (Family Reunion, The Neighborhood), shared a similar story.

“Dave hired me for my first staff job and a few years later, was kind and humble enough to be my second when I became a showrunner on my first show,” she said, “A writers’ writer, he was always generous, decent and told the best stories.”

Then up-and-comer DeLoatch’s first staff job was on the hit 1989 sitcom Family Matters where Duclon was as an executive producer. He then hired her on Malcolm & Eddie, which he also executive produced. DeLoatch went on to create her own series, the 2003 Eve. Duclon executive produced Eve with her before he left Hollywood and moved back to his home town in Illinois.

Duclon was recently involved in the 2021 Punky Brewster revival, which he executive produced.

Director

Christopher Daniel Barnes, Eddie Griffin, Ron Pearson, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Karen Malina White in Malcolm & Eddie (1996)

Malcolm & Eddie

6.6

TV Series

Director

2000

1 episode

 

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

Punky Brewster

6.6

TV Series

Director

1987

4 episodes

 

Writer

Soleil Moon Frye in Punky Brewster (2021)

Punky Brewster

6.8

TV Series

created by

story by (creator)

2021

10 episodes

 

Ali Landry Monteverde, Natalie Desselle Reid, Jason George, Brian Hooks, Sean Maguire, and Eve in Eve (2003)

Eve

6.5

TV Series

writer

2003–2005

5 episodes

 

Mike O'Malley, Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, and Liza Snyder in Yes, Dear (2000)

Yes, Dear

6.9

TV Series

writer

2002

1 episode

 

Christopher Daniel Barnes, Eddie Griffin, Ron Pearson, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Karen Malina White in Malcolm & Eddie (1996)

Malcolm & Eddie

6.6

TV Series

written by

1998–1999

4 episodes

 

Reginald VelJohnson, Jaimee Foxworth, Telma Hopkins, Rosetta LeNoire, Bryton James, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Jaleel White, and Kellie Shanygne Williams in Family Matters (1989)

Family Matters

6.6

TV Series

written by

1990–1998

27 episodes

 

Girls Across the Lake

TV Series

Writer

1997

 

Natalie Desselle Reid, Denise Dowse, Geoffrey Owens, Juan Pope, Jeremy Suarez, Royale Watkins, and Paul Winfield in Built to Last (1997)

Built to Last

7.6

TV Series

developed by

writer

1997

2 episodes

 

On Our Own (1994)

On Our Own

6.3

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1994–1995

20 episodes

 

Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Finis Henderson III, Myra J., Cherie Johnson, Shawn Skie, and Michael Warren in A Little Bit Strange (1989)

A Little Bit Strange

6.0

TV Movie

written by

1989

 

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

Punky Brewster

6.6

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1984–1988

88 episodes

 

Matthew Perry and Kiel Martin in Boys Will Be Boys (1987)

Boys Will Be Boys

6.3

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1987–1988

21 episodes

 

Erin Gray, Ricky Schroder, and Joel Higgins in Silver Spoons (1982)

Silver Spoons

6.1

TV Series

developed by

written by

story ...

1982–1987

116 episodes

 

Punky Brewster (1985)

Punky Brewster

6.3

TV Series

created by (creator)

1985

13 episodes

 

Jean Sagal and Liz Sagal in Double Trouble (1984)

Double Trouble

7.2

TV Series

created by (creator)

1984–1985

23 episodes

 

Diff'rent Strokes (1978)

Diff'rent Strokes

6.7

TV Series

story by

1983

1 episode

 

There Goes the Neighborhood (1983)

There Goes the Neighborhood

TV Special

teleplay by (as David Duclon)

1983

 

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons (1975)

The Jeffersons

7.5

TV Series

written by

story by

1980–1982

8 episodes

 

Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi in Working Stiffs (1979)

Working Stiffs

6.6

TV Series

developed by

written by (creator)

1979

9 episodes

 

Makin' It (1979)

Makin' It

6.7

TV Series

written by

1979

1 episode

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

written by

1976–1978

4 episodes

 

Busting Loose (1977)

Busting Loose

7.5

TV Series

written by

executive story consultant

1977

4 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 (as Dave Duclon)

1976

2 episodes

 

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

The Odd Couple

7.9

TV Series

written by

1973–1975

4 episodes

 

Actor

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

Punky Brewster

6.6

TV Series

Spirit Voice (voice)

1985

1 episode

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

Vincent Van Eagle

1976

1 episode

 

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

The Odd Couple

7.9

TV Series

Bee Handler

Waiter

Messenger

1970–1975

3 episodes

 

Producer

Soleil Moon Frye in Punky Brewster (2021)

Punky Brewster

6.8

TV Series

executive producer

2021

10 episodes

 

Ali Landry Monteverde, Natalie Desselle Reid, Jason George, Brian Hooks, Sean Maguire, and Eve in Eve (2003)

Eve

6.5

TV Series

executive producer

co-executive producer

2003–2006

66 episodes

 

Christopher Daniel Barnes, Eddie Griffin, Ron Pearson, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Karen Malina White in Malcolm & Eddie (1996)

Malcolm & Eddie

6.6

TV Series

executive producer

1998–2000

44 episodes

 

Chris Hardwick, Maestro Harrell, and Bumper Robinson in Guys Like Us (1998)

Guys Like Us

7.0

TV Series

executive producer

1998

1 episode

 

Reginald VelJohnson, Jaimee Foxworth, Telma Hopkins, Rosetta LeNoire, Bryton James, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Jaleel White, and Kellie Shanygne Williams in Family Matters (1989)

Family Matters

6.6

TV Series

executive producer

co-executive producer

1990–1998

188 episodes

 

Girls Across the Lake

TV Series

co-executive producer

1997

 

Natalie Desselle Reid, Denise Dowse, Geoffrey Owens, Juan Pope, Jeremy Suarez, Royale Watkins, and Paul Winfield in Built to Last (1997)

Built to Last

7.6

TV Series

executive producer

1997

1 episode

 

On Our Own (1994)

On Our Own

6.3

TV Series

executive producer

1994–1995

4 episodes

 

Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Finis Henderson III, Myra J., Cherie Johnson, Shawn Skie, and Michael Warren in A Little Bit Strange (1989)

A Little Bit Strange

6.0

TV Movie

executive producer

1989

 

The Cheech Show

7.6

TV Movie

executive producer

1988

 

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

Punky Brewster

6.6

TV Series

executive producer

1984–1988

88 episodes

 

Matthew Perry and Kiel Martin in Boys Will Be Boys (1987)

Boys Will Be Boys

6.3

TV Series

executive producer

1987–1988

11 episodes

 

Heart's Island (1985)

Heart's Island

TV Series

executive producer

1985

 

Erin Gray, Ricky Schroder, and Joel Higgins in Silver Spoons (1982)

Silver Spoons

6.1

TV Series

executive producer

producer

1982–1984

44 episodes

 

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons (1975)

The Jeffersons

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

producer

1981–1983

49 episodes

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

producer

1979–1980

14 episodes

 

Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi in Working Stiffs (1979)

Working Stiffs

6.6

TV Series

supervising producer

1979

1 episode

 

Makin' It (1979)

Makin' It

6.7

TV Series

producer

1979

3 episodes

 

Charles Hallahan and Ted Knight in The Ted Knight Show (1978)

The Ted Knight Show

6.2

TV Series

producer

1978

6 episodes

 

Script and Continuity Department

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons (1975)

The Jeffersons

7.5

TV Series

script supervisor

1980–1981

24 episodes

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

executive script consultant

1979–1980

14 episodes

 

Makin' It (1979)

Makin' It

6.7

TV Series

executive script consultant

1979

1 episode

 

Busting Loose (1977)

Busting Loose

7.5

TV Series

executive story consultant

1977

1 episode

 

Additional Crew

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons (1975)

The Jeffersons

7.5

TV Series

creative consultant

story supervisor

1981–1984

71 episodes

 

Erin Gray, Ricky Schroder, and Joel Higgins in Silver Spoons (1982)

Silver Spoons

6.1

TV Series

story supervisor

1982–1984

41 episodes

 

Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi in Working Stiffs (1979)

Working Stiffs

6.6

TV Series

executive story consultant

1979

1 episode

 

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in Laverne & Shirley (1976)

Laverne & Shirley

7.0

TV Series

executive story consultant

story editor

1976–1977

17 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

story editor (as Dave Duclon)

1976

2 episodes

 

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

The Odd Couple

7.9

TV Series

assistant consultant

assistant: producer

1972–1975

2 episodes

 

Soundtrack

Reginald VelJohnson, Jaimee Foxworth, Telma Hopkins, Rosetta LeNoire, Bryton James, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Jaleel White, and Kellie Shanygne Williams in Family Matters (1989)

Family Matters

6.6

TV Series

lyrics: "The Urkel Dance"

1991

1 episode