Jeff Lowell obit

Jeff Lowell Dies: ‘John Tucker Must Die’ Writer & ‘The Crew’ Creator Was 52

 

He was not on the list.

Veteran film and TV comedy writer Jeff Lowell died on August 24 in Virginia after a brief illness. He was 52.

Lowell started his career as a sitcom writer in the mid 1990s, working on such series as The George Carlin Show, Bless This House and The Drew Carey Show. He went on to serve as writer-producer on Cybil, Spin City, Sports Night, Just Shoot Me!, Inside Schwartz and hourlong comedy-drama Common Law.

In 2014, a half-hour script Lowell had originally developed three seasons prior was picked up to pilot by ABC. Titled Manhattan Love Story, the single-camera comedy starring Jake McDorman and Lio Tipton went to series which ran for one season.

Lowell continued to work steadily in television with stints on CBS’ Two and a Half Men; TV Land’s The Jim Gaffigan Show, which he executive produced; and Netflix’s The Ranch, created by 2.5 Men veterans Don Reo and Jim Patterson, on which he rose to executive producer.

Most recently, Lowell created, executive produced and served as showrunner on the multi-camera Netflix comedy series The Crew, starring Kevin James.

Lowell made his feature debut with the screenplay for the 2006 movie John Tucker Must Die, directed by Betty Thomas. His followup was the 2008 film Over Her Dead Body, which he wrote and directed. Other feature credits include Hotel For Dogs, which Lowell co-wrote, and Kevin James’ Home Team, which he produced.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

 

Writer

Kevin James, Gary Anthony Williams, Freddie Stroma, Dan Ahdoot, Jillian Mueller, and Sarah Stiles in The Crew (2021)

The Crew

6.5

TV Series

created byteleplay bywritten by

2021

10 episodes

 

Sam Elliott, Debra Winger, Ashton Kutcher, and Danny Masterson in The Ranch (2016)

The Ranch

7.5

TV Series

teleplay bystory bystory

2016–2020

27 episodes

 

Yellow is the New Black (2018)

Yellow is the New Black

6.4

Short

written by

2018

 

The Secret Life of Kyle (2017)

The Secret Life of Kyle

5.8

Video

written by

2017

 

Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones in Two and a Half Men (2003)

Two and a Half Men

7.1

TV Series

teleplay bystory by

2013–2015

13 episodes

 

Jake McDorman and Lio Tipton in Manhattan Love Story (2014)

Manhattan Love Story

7.0

TV Series

created bywritten bycreator

2014

11 episodes

 

Common Law (2012)

Common Law

7.8

TV Series

written by

2012

2 episodes

 

Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, and Cosmo in Hotel for Dogs (2009)

Hotel for Dogs

5.5

screenplay

2009

 

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

Over Her Dead Body

5.3

written by

2008

 

Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Jesse Metcalfe, and Brittany Snow in John Tucker Must Die (2006)

John Tucker Must Die

5.8

written by

2006

 

Breckin Meyer in Inside Schwartz (2001)

Inside Schwartz

5.5

TV Series

written by

2001

1 episode

 

Kieran Culkin, Katherine Ellis, and Taylor Handley in Go Fish (2001)

Go Fish

5.9

TV Series

Writerwritten by

2001

2 episodes

 

Laura San Giacomo, George Segal, Wendie Malick, David Spade, and Enrico Colantoni in Just Shoot Me! (1997)

Just Shoot Me!

6.9

TV Series

written by

2000

1 episode

 

Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane (1999)

Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane

6.7

TV Series

story bywriter

1999

2 episodes

 

Josh Charles, Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume, Peter Krause, and Joshua Malina in Sports Night (1998)

Sports Night

8.3

TV Series

Writer

1998–2000

 

Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, Alan Ruck, Michael Boatman, Connie Britton, Alexander Chaplin, and Richard Kind in Spin City (1996)

Spin City

7.3

TV Series

written byteleplay by

1996–1998

7 episodes

 

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

written by

1996

1 episode

 

Drew Carey in The Drew Carey Show (1995)

The Drew Carey Show

6.9

TV Series

written byteleplay byexecutive story editor ...

1995–1996

13 episodes

 

Bless This House (1995)

Bless This House

6.4

TV Series

written by

1995

1 episode

 

Mike Hagerty, George Carlin, Paige French, Alex Rocco, and Anthony Starke in The George Carlin Show (1994)

The George Carlin Show

7.5

TV Series

written byteleplay

1994–1995

5 episodes

 

Beethoven (1994)

Beethoven

5.3

TV Series

written by (segment "Fleas!")

1994

1 episode

 

Producer

Kevin James in Home Team (2022)

Home Team

6.0

produced by

2022

 

Kevin James, Gary Anthony Williams, Freddie Stroma, Dan Ahdoot, Jillian Mueller, and Sarah Stiles in The Crew (2021)

The Crew

6.5

TV Series

producerexecutive producer (showrunner)

2021

10 episodes

 

Sam Elliott, Debra Winger, Ashton Kutcher, and Danny Masterson in The Ranch (2016)

The Ranch

7.5

TV Series

executive producerco-executive producerconsulting producer

2016–2020

79 episodes

 

Adam Goldberg, Michael Ian Black, Jim Gaffigan, Ashley Williams, and Tongayi Chirisa in The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015)

The Jim Gaffigan Show

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

2015

11 episodes

 

Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones in Two and a Half Men (2003)

Two and a Half Men

7.1

TV Series

consulting producer

2013–2015

26 episodes

 

Jake McDorman and Lio Tipton in Manhattan Love Story (2014)

Manhattan Love Story

7.0

TV Series

executive producer

2014

11 episodes

 

Common Law (2012)

Common Law

7.8

TV Series

consulting producer

2012

11 episodes

 

Breckin Meyer in Inside Schwartz (2001)

Inside Schwartz

5.5

TV Series

co-executive producer

2001–2002

12 episodes

 

Kieran Culkin, Katherine Ellis, and Taylor Handley in Go Fish (2001)

Go Fish

5.9

TV Series

co-executive producer

2001

1 episode

 

Laura San Giacomo, George Segal, Wendie Malick, David Spade, and Enrico Colantoni in Just Shoot Me! (1997)

Just Shoot Me!

6.9

TV Series

consulting producer

1999–2000

24 episodes

 

Josh Charles, Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume, Peter Krause, and Joshua Malina in Sports Night (1998)

Sports Night

8.3

TV Series

co-executive producer

1998

4 episodes

 

Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, Alan Ruck, Michael Boatman, Connie Britton, Alexander Chaplin, and Richard Kind in Spin City (1996)

Spin City

7.3

TV Series

supervising producerco-producerproducer

1996–1998

41 episodes

 

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

co-producer

1996

7 episodes

 

Director

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

Over Her Dead Body

5.3

Director

2008

 

Additional Crew

Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane (1999)

Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane

6.7

TV Series

creative consultant

1999

1 episode

 

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

executive story editor

1996

5 episodes

 

Bless This House (1995)

Bless This House

6.4

TV Series

story editor

1996

1 episode

 

Drew Carey in The Drew Carey Show (1995)

The Drew Carey Show

6.9

TV Series

executive story editorstory editor

1995

10 episodes

 

Actor

Over Her Dead Body (2008)

Over Her Dead Body

5.3

Parrot Announcer Voice

2008

 

Thanks

Deliverance: By the Slice (2005)

Deliverance: By the Slice

Short

special thanks

2005

 

Self

Deep Inside (2007)

Deep Inside

2.3

TV Series

Self

2008

1 episode