Leonard B. Stern

For other people named Leonard Stern, see Leonard Stern (disambiguation).

Leonard B. Stern
Born	Leonard Bernard Stern December 23, 1923 New York City, U.S.
Died	June 7, 2011(2011-06-07) (aged 87) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Publisher, director, writer, producer
Years active	1949–2000
Spouse(s)	Julie Adams ​ ​ (m. 1951; div. 1953)​ Gloria Stroock ​ ​ (m. 1956)​
Children	2

Leonard Bernard Stern (December 23, 1923 – June 7, 2011) was an American screenwriter, film and television producer, director, and one of the creators, with Roger Price, of the word game Mad Libs.

Life and career

Stern was born in New York City. He studied at New York University. Stern was a successful television writer who wrote for such now classic series such as Get Smart, The Honeymooners, The Phil Silvers Show, The Steve Allen Show and Tonight Starring Steve Allen. Stern created the signature opening door credits for Get Smart.

Stern was also a writer for the 1952 Danny Thomas and Peggy Lee version of The Jazz Singer and several Abbott and Costello films, among others. In the 1970s, he produced and directed the TV series McMillan & Wife, which starred Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James.

Stern was the senior vice president of Price Stern Sloan (PSS). In 2000, after Price's death, Stern and another partner, Larry Sloan, launched another publishing company, Tallfellow Press, and acquired the rights to Droodles. Stern co-wrote, with Diane L. Robinson, A Martian Wouldn't Say That (2000), a compilation of actual memos and notes from television executives.

Personal life

Stern was married twice. His first marriage was in 1951 to actress Julie Adams. The marriage ended in divorce two years later in 1953. In 1956, Stern married actress Gloria Stroock, to whom he remained married until his death. The couple had two children, Kate and Michael.

Death

On June 7, 2011, Stern died of heart failure at his home in Beverly Hills, California, aged 87. He was survived by his wife of 55 years, actress Gloria Stroock, as well as a son, daughter, two grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. Funeral services were held at Mount Sinai Memorial Park.

Selected film and television credits

Producer

• I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962–1963)
• Supermarket Sweep (1965)
• Get Smart (1965–1968)
• Run, Buddy, Run (1966)
• The Hero (1966–1967)
• He & She (1967–1968)
• The Good Guys (1968–1970)
• The Governor & J.J. (1969–1970)
• McMillan & Wife (1971–1976)
• The Snoop Sisters (1972–1974)
• Faraday & Company (1973)
• Holmes & Yo-Yo (1976–1977)
• Lanigan's Rabbi (1976)
• Rosetti and Ryan (1977)
• Operation Petticoat (1977–1978)
• Partners in Crime (1984)
• Get Smart, Again! (1989)
• Missing Pieces (film) (1992)

Writer

• Africa Screams (1949)
• Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950)
• Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)
• The Milkman (1952)
• Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (1952)
• Lost in Alaska (1952)
• The Jazz Singer (1952)
• Three for the Show (1955)
• The Steve Allen Show (1956–1960)
• The Honeymooners (1955–1956)
• The Phil Silvers Show (1956)
• The Jackie Gleason Show (1953–1956)
• The Good Guys (1968)

Director

• I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962–1963)
• Run, Buddy, Run (1966)
• He & She (1967)
• The Good Guys (1968)
• The Governor & J.J. (1969)
• McMillan & Wife (1971)
• The Snoop Sisters (1972)
• Holmes & Yo-Yo (1976)
• Lanigan's Rabbi (1977)
• Just You and Me, Kid (1979)
• Partners in Crime (1984)
• Missing Pieces (1992)

Awards

• Emmy Award, 1957, Best Comedy Writing-variety Or Situation Comedy (The Phil Silvers Show)
• Emmy Award, 1967, Outstanding Writing Achievement In Comedy (Get Smart)

External links

• Leonard B. Stern at IMDb
• Leonard Stern interview at Archive of American Television – July 13, 2000 and August 20, 2008