Sam Bobrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Bobrick
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| Born | July 24, 1932 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | October 11, 2019 (aged 87) Northridge, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Playwright, screenwriter |
| Genre | Fiction, comedy |
Sam Bobrick (born July 24, 1932 – died October 11, 2019) was a talented American writer. He wrote many plays, TV shows, and even song lyrics. He was known for his funny and clever stories.
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Early Life and Education
Sam Bobrick was born in Chicago on July 24, 1932. His family was Jewish. His dad owned a store, and his mom worked for the postal service.
He finished high school in Michigan in 1950. After serving in the U.S. Air Force for about three years, Sam went to the University of Illinois. He earned a degree in journalism there.
A Career in Writing
Sam Bobrick started his writing career on the popular children's TV show Captain Kangaroo. He also wrote for many other famous shows. These included The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, and The Flintstones. He even worked on Get Smart and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
He created the TV series Good Morning, Miss Bliss for the Disney Channel. This show later became the very popular NBC hit Saved By The Bell. Sam won three Writers Guild of America Awards for his TV work. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award, which is a big honor in television. In 1990, he decided to stop writing for film and television.
Plays for the Stage
Sam Bobrick wrote more than 40 plays. His first play, Norman, Is That You?, was co-written with Ron Clark. It opened on Broadway in the early 1970s. Even though it didn't do well on Broadway, it was a huge hit in Los Angeles. It ran there for seven years! The play was also performed for five years in Paris and in over thirty countries worldwide.
Sam and Ron Clark worked together on three more Broadway plays. These included No Hard Feelings, Murder at the Howard Johnson's, and Wally's Cafe.
Sam also wrote many plays by himself. Some of his solo works include Remember Me?, Getting Sara Married, and Last Chance Romance. He wrote a funny play called Hamlet II (Better Than The Original). He also wrote mystery plays like Flemming, An American Thriller and The Spider Or The Fly. In 2011, his mystery play The Psychic won the famous Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
With his wife, Julie Stein, he wrote two plays. One was Lenny's Back, which was about the comedian Lenny Bruce. It was nominated for a Los Angeles Ovation Award. They also wrote The Outrageous Adventures of Sheldon & Mrs. Levine. This play is performed all over the world.
Music and Other Works
Sam Bobrick also wrote song lyrics. He co-wrote The Girl of My Best Friend with Beverly Ross. This song was recorded by Elvis Presley and many other artists, including Bryan Ferry. Another song he wrote, It Will Never Be Over For Me, was recorded by the band Los Lobos.
He also wrote two funny albums for Mad magazine. These were called Mad Twists Rock n Roll and Fink Along With Mad. His last music project was a CD called "Totally Twisted Country". He wrote it with his son, Joey Bobrick, for the band The Cow Pies.
Sam Bobrick was a member of several important groups for writers and directors. These included the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the Dramatists Guild, and the Writers Guild of America. He also directed many of his own plays in theaters across the U.S. and Canada.
Later Life and Passing
Sam Bobrick passed away on October 11, 2019, at the age of 87. He had a stroke shortly before he died. He was married to Julie Stein, and they married in 2000. He also had three children.
