Dave Flebotte obit

Dave Flebotte Dies: Emmy-Nominated Writer Who Worked On ‘Tulsa King’ & ‘Desperate Housewives’ Was 65

 

He was not on the list.

Dave Flebotte, an Emmy-nominated TV writer who worked on dramas like Desperate Housewives and sitcoms such as The Bernie Mac Show, has died. He was 65.

Flebotte served as a co-executive producer on Housewives from 2008-2012. His former DH colleague Sabrina Wind wrote on Facebook Tuesday that Flebotte was “so funny, so kind, such a great writer, such a beautiful friend. You brought joy into our lives, but were also there for me at some of my lowest moments. So grateful you were in my life.”

Flebotte began his TV writing career in comedy, starting on The 5 Mrs. Buchanans and Ellen, and later on Suddenly Susan, The PJs, and The Geena Davis Show. His other sitcom credits include The Bernie Mac Show, 8 Simple Rules and Will & Grace.

In 2009, he created the comedy Sherri with Sherri Shepherd.

After Housewives, Flebotte went on to write for Boardwalk Empire, Masters of Sex, and I’m Dying Up Here. His last gig was on Tulsa King.

In 1999, he received an Emmy nomination for The PJs. He was also nominated twice for a WGA Award for his work on Boardwalk Empire.

Cindy Caponera, who worked with Flebotte on I’m Dying Up Here and Sherri, wrote this tribute on Instagram: “Never in all of my television writing days did I meet a man so funny and kind, openhearted, smaht – he was from Boston after all – and so talented. He was an incredibly loyal friend. I also never met a writer who loved writing as much as he did. And he was so incredibly good at it. And throughout his entire illness, he never stopped creating and working – never complaining- just such a great example of how to live and love. Everyone should have at least one Dave Flebotte in their life. I’ll miss you, pal.”

Laurie Parres (Fast Layne, Charmed) shared this on Facebook: “You’ll always be present-tense, Dave, just like Kevin Rooney. The funniest of the funniest. Unparalleled at spotting the absurd and transmuting it into comic relief, turning what stings into what saves us. The world’s a lot funnier — and easier to take — through your eyes. I’d love to hear your take now that you know and see everything.”

In 1999, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the category Best Animated Program for his work on the television program The PJs. His nomination was shared with Steve Tompkins, Larry Wilmore, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Krantz, Eddie Murphy, Will Vinton, Tom Turpin, Bill Freiberger, Mary Sandell, David Bleiman Ichioka, Michael Price, J. Michael Wendel, Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Les Firestein, Donald R. Beck and Mark Gustafson.

Flebotte is survived by his wife Sandra Linqvist and his children, Zac and Emma. He was born in Missoula, Montana.

Writer

Tulsa King (2022)

Tulsa King

8.0

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2022–2024

4 episodes

 

I'm Dying Up Here (2017)

I'm Dying Up Here

7.5

TV Series

created bywritten by (creator, as Dave Flebotte)

2017–2018

20 episodes

 

Gretchen Mol and Hugh Laurie in Chance (2016)

Chance

7.5

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2017

1 episode

 

Lizzy Caplan, Michael Sheen, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Annaleigh Ashford in Masters of Sex (2013)

Masters of Sex

7.9

TV Series

written by

2014–2015

4 episodes

 

Backlash

Short

co-writerwriter (as Dave Flebotte)

2014

 

Seann William Scott and Olivia Thirlby in Just Before I Go (2014)

Just Before I Go

6.3

written by

2014

 

Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Boardwalk Empire

8.6

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2011–2013

3 episodes

 

The Manzanis

5.6

TV Movie

creator

2012

 

Desperate Housewives (2004)

Desperate Housewives

7.6

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2008–2011

7 episodes

 

Sherri (2009)

Sherri

6.3

TV Series

creatorwritten by

2009

13 episodes

 

Courteney Cox in Dirt (2007)

Dirt

6.9

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2007–2008

3 episodes

 

Lili Taylor in State of Mind (2007)

State of Mind

7.3

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2007

1 episode

 

Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, and Megan Mullally in Will & Grace (1998)

Will & Grace

7.4

TV Series

written by (as Dave Flebotte)

2004

1 episode

 

James Garner, Katey Sagal, David Spade, Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson, and Martin Spanjers in 8 Simple Rules (2002)

8 Simple Rules

7.0

TV Series

written by

2003–2004

3 episodes

 

Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)

The Bernie Mac Show

7.2

TV Series

written by

2002–2003

2 episodes

 

Lorraine Bracco, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt, Dominic Chianese, Robert Iler, Michael Imperioli, Steve Schirripa, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Aida Turturro in The Sopranos (1999)

The Sopranos

9.2

TV Series

teleplay by

2002

1 episode

 

Geena Davis, Peter Horton, John Francis Daley, and Makenzie Vega in The Geena Davis Show (2000)

The Geena Davis Show

5.1

TV Series

written by

2000

1 episode

 

Eddie Murphy, James Black, Michael Paul Chan, Cassi Davis, Loretta Devine, Ja'net DuBois, Cheryl Francis Harrington, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Michael Richardson, Crystal Scales, and Pepe Serna in The PJs (1999)

The PJs

6.8

TV Series

written by

1999–2000

3 episodes

 

Brooke Shields, Judd Nelson, Eric Idle, Nestor Carbonell, Kathy Griffin, Barbara Barrie, Currie Graham, and Sherri Shepherd in Suddenly Susan (1996)

Suddenly Susan

5.9

TV Series

writer

1999

1 episode

 

Ellen DeGeneres, Joely Fisher, and Clea Lewis in Ellen (1994)

Ellen

6.1

TV Series

written bywriter

1995–1997

7 episodes

 

Charlotte Ross, Beth Broderick, Harriet Sansom Harris, Eileen Heckart, and Judith Ivey in The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994)

The 5 Mrs. Buchanans

7.6

TV Series

written by

1994–1995

2 episodes

 

Shelley Long and Treat Williams in Good Advice (1993)

Good Advice

6.6

TV Series

written by

1994

1 episode

 

Producer

Tulsa King (2022)

Tulsa King

8.0

TV Series

co-executive producer (as Dave Flebotte)

2022–2024

14 episodes

 

I'm Dying Up Here (2017)

I'm Dying Up Here

7.5

TV Series

executive producer (as Dave Flebotte)

2017–2018

20 episodes

 

Brothers in Atlanta

2.4

TV Movie

executive producer

2016

 

Lizzy Caplan, Michael Sheen, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Annaleigh Ashford in Masters of Sex (2013)

Masters of Sex

7.9

TV Series

co-executive producer

2014–2015

24 episodes

 

Martha Plimpton, Cloris Leachman, Garret Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, and Lucas Neff in Raising Hope (2010)

Raising Hope

8.1

TV Series

consulting producer

2012–2014

24 episodes

 

The Manzanis

5.6

TV Movie

executive producer

2012

 

Desperate Housewives (2004)

Desperate Housewives

7.6

TV Series

consulting producerco-executive producer (as Dave Flebotte)

2008–2012

93 episodes

 

Sherri (2009)

Sherri

6.3

TV Series

executive producer

2009

1 episode

 

Courteney Cox in Dirt (2007)

Dirt

6.9

TV Series

co-executive producer

2008

7 episodes

 

Anne Heche in Men in Trees (2006)

Men in Trees

7.2

TV Series

consulting producer (as Dave Flebotte)

2007

5 episodes

 

Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, and Megan Mullally in Will & Grace (1998)

Will & Grace

7.4

TV Series

executive producer (as Dave Flebotte)

2004–2005

14 episodes

 

Commando Nanny

4.6

TV Series

executive producer

2004

 

James Garner, Katey Sagal, David Spade, Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson, and Martin Spanjers in 8 Simple Rules (2002)

8 Simple Rules

7.0

TV Series

consulting producer

2003–2004

37 episodes

 

Bernie Mac in The Bernie Mac Show (2001)

The Bernie Mac Show

7.2

TV Series

co-executive producer

2002–2003

10 episodes

 

Constance Marie, George Lopez, Belita Moreno, Valente Rodriguez, Masiela Lusha, and Luis Armand Garcia in George Lopez (2002)

George Lopez

6.9

TV Series

consulting producer

2002

3 episodes

 

Geena Davis, Peter Horton, John Francis Daley, and Makenzie Vega in The Geena Davis Show (2000)

The Geena Davis Show

5.1

TV Series

executive producer

2000–2001

10 episodes

 

Eddie Murphy, James Black, Michael Paul Chan, Cassi Davis, Loretta Devine, Ja'net DuBois, Cheryl Francis Harrington, Jenifer Lewis, Kevin Michael Richardson, Crystal Scales, and Pepe Serna in The PJs (1999)

The PJs

6.8

TV Series

co-executive producersupervising producer

1999–2000

3 episodes

 

Brooke Shields, Judd Nelson, Eric Idle, Nestor Carbonell, Kathy Griffin, Barbara Barrie, Currie Graham, and Sherri Shepherd in Suddenly Susan (1996)

Suddenly Susan

5.9

TV Series

consulting producer

1999–2000

13 episodes

 

Ellen DeGeneres, Joely Fisher, and Clea Lewis in Ellen (1994)

Ellen

6.1

TV Series

co-producer

1996–1997

10 episodes

 

Additional Crew

Ellen DeGeneres, Joely Fisher, and Clea Lewis in Ellen (1994)

Ellen

6.1

TV Series

executive story editor

1995

1 episode

 

Charlotte Ross, Beth Broderick, Harriet Sansom Harris, Eileen Heckart, and Judith Ivey in The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994)

The 5 Mrs. Buchanans

7.6

TV Series

story editor

1994–1995

3 episodes