David W. Duclon dead at 74: Punky Brewster creator and Happy Days writer passes away in Illinois
David W. Duclon, a prominent television writer-producer known for Punky Brewster, has died at the age of 74.
The comedy writer from the eighties and nineties died on Wednesday in Illinois after a long illness. Term.
Duclon – born Warren David Duclon – was also known for co-developing Silver Spoons, the 1982 sitcom that ran for five seasons.
He launched his career writing iconic 1970s sitcoms including The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons and Diff’rent Strokes.
His series Punky Brewster originally aired from 1984 to 1988. It follows the life of Punky Brewster (played by Soleil Moon Frye), an orphaned girl who is taken in by a widowed photographer named Henry Warnimont (George Gaynes).
Duclon recently served as executive producer on the show’s 2021 revival
David W. Duclon, a prominent television writer-producer known for creating Punky Brewster, has died at age 74
His series Punky Brewster originally aired from 1984 to 1988. It follows the life of Punky Brewster (played by Soleil Moon Frye), an orphaned girl; Frye seen in a still life
Duclon was born in 1950 in Rockford, Illinois.
He graduated from Rockford West Public High School.
He married wife Deborah in 1980. The couple divorced in 2003.
Together they have a daughter who is a fashion stylist in New York City.
Duclon’s career began writing episodes of The Odd Couple with Garry Marshall, who mentored him in showrunning while Duclon worked on hits such as Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley.
He went on to create several successful sitcoms.
He developed CBS’s 1979 comedy Working Stiffs starring James Belushi and Michael Keaton, co-developed the 1982 hit Silver Spoons on NBC, and co-created the 1987 comedy Boys Will Be Boys starring a young Matthew Perry .