Earl Pomerantz, ‘Cheers’ and ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ Writer, Dies at 75

Emmy-winner also produced “Major Dad”

Earl Pomerantz
Earl Pomerantz: Just Thinking

Earl Pomerantz, the Emmy-winning television writer behind “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Cheers,” died Saturday at age 75.

His death was announced Monday in a blog post by his friend Ken Levine, a fellow television writer for “Cheers,” M*A*S*H,” and “Frasier.” No cause of death has been confirmed yet, but Levine wrote that Pomerantz’s “serious health problems” had only begun as recently as “about five weeks ago.”

In his last entry made on his personal blog, “Earl Pomerantz: Just Thinking,” Pomerantz spoke of a “troubling eye problem.”

“Can’t write. Be back when I can,” he wrote in late January. “In the meantime, thanks for the company. I’ve never had more fun writing. So long. And as The Cisco Kid used to say, ‘See you soon, Ha!’”

Pomerantz also wrote for “The Cosby Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Taxi,” “Phyllis,” “Doc,” “Keep on Truckin’,” “Kristin,” “Becker,” “LateLine,” “Family Man,” and the original 1985 “Amazing Stories” series, which is currently being rebooted at Apple.

He was an executive producer on “Major Dad,” and “Best of the West,” a consulting producer on “The Larry Sanders Show,” and a consultant on “According to Jim.”

“One thing I always admired about Earl was that he never lost that sense of childhood wonder,” Levine wrote. “Earl asked lots of questions. Lot. Lots and lots. And only because he sincerely wanted to know the answers.”

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