Gene Reynolds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gene Reynolds
in the trailer for the film Gallant Sons (1940)
Born	Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal (1923-04-04)April 4, 1923 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died	February 3, 2020(2020-02-03) (aged 96) Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
Occupation	Producer director screenwriter actor
Years active	1934–1999
Spouse(s)	Bonnie Jones ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1976)​ Ann Sweeny ​ (m. 1979)​
Children	1
Awards	6 Primetime Emmy Awards 2 Directors Guild Awards Writers Guild of America Award

Gene Reynolds (born April 4, 1923 – died February 3, 2020) was a talented American who worked in television and movies. He was an actor, writer, director, and producer. You might know him best as one of the people who helped create and produce the famous TV show M*A*S*H.

Gene Reynolds' Early Life

• Gene Reynolds was born on April 4, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio.
• His father, Frank Eugene Blumenthal, was a businessman.
• His mother, Maude Evelyn (Schwab) Blumenthal, was a model.
• Gene grew up in Detroit before his family moved to Los Angeles in 1934.

Serving His Country

• During World War II, Gene Reynolds joined the United States Navy.
• He served on ships, including a destroyer-minesweeper called the USS Zane.
• After the war, he went to the University of California, Los Angeles.
• He earned a degree in history and then went back to acting.

His Career in Entertainment

Acting Roles

• Gene Reynolds started acting in 1934 in a short film called Washee Ironee.
• For the next 30 years, he appeared in many movies and TV shows.
• Some of his films include Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938).
• He also appeared on TV shows like I Love Lucy.
• From 1937 to 1940, he worked for the big movie studio MGM.
• As a child actor, Gene often played the younger version of the main character.
• For example, he played a young Tyrone Power in In Old Chicago (1938).
• He also played a young James Stewart in Of Human Hearts (1938).

Directing and Writing

• After serving in the war, Gene found it hard to get big acting roles.
• So, he decided to try directing instead.
• He directed episodes for popular shows like Leave It to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show.
• In 1957, Gene helped create a show for NBC called Tales of Wells Fargo.
• He wrote and directed many episodes for this show.
• He also directed episodes for Hogan's Heroes and F Troop.
• Gene was an Executive Producer for Room 222.
• This show was special because it featured an African American school teacher.
• It talked about important topics like prejudice and students dropping out of school.
• Gene directed some episodes of Room 222, which ran for over 100 episodes.

Creating Famous TV Shows

• In the 1970s and 1980s, Gene Reynolds worked on two very successful shows for CBS.
• From 1972 to 1983, he produced 120 episodes of M*A*S*H.
• He also helped create M*A*S*H with Larry Gelbart.
• Gene wrote 11 episodes and directed 24 episodes of M*A*S*H.
• During the same time, he produced 22 episodes of Lou Grant.
• For Lou Grant, he wrote or co-wrote five episodes and directed 11.

Awards and Recognition

• Gene Reynolds was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards and won six times!
• He won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for M*A*S*H.
• He won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series twice for Lou Grant.
• He also won the Humanitas Prize for Lou Grant, which honors works that promote human dignity.
• Gene won the Directors Guild of America Award twice for directing M*A*S*H.
• He won the same award once for directing Lou Grant.
• From 1993 to 1997, Gene Reynolds was the President of the Directors Guild of America.

Personal Life

• Gene Reynolds was married to actress Bonnie Jones from 1972 to 1975.
• Bonnie appeared in five episodes of M*A*S*H.
• He later married actress Ann Sweeny in 1979.
• Ann also appeared on M*A*S*H in one episode.
• Gene and Ann had one son together.
• Gene Reynolds passed away on February 3, 2020, at the age of 96.
• He died from heart failure in Burbank, California.