Art Baer, 81; Emmy Award-Winning Writer Produced ‘Love Boat’
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Art Baer, 81, an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, died of cancer Sunday, his birthday, at his home in Los Angeles.
Baer and longtime writing partner Ben Joelson wrote more than 100 scripts for some of television’s most popular comedy programs including “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” “The Odd Couple,” and “Get Smart.”
From 1977 to 1985, Baer and Joelson were associated with Aaron Spelling Productions as writers and executive producers of “The Love Boat.”
He wrote specials for Victor Borge, Perry Como and Flip Wilson and variety shows for Jonathan Winters, Jim Nabors and Carol Burnett. He won an Emmy for a Burnett show in 1972.
A native of New York and a graduate of New York University, Baer began his writing career on the Robert Q. Lewis radio program where he met Joelson.
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