Dan Wilcox dies aged 82: Emmy Award-winning M*A*S*H screenwriter and producer passes away in Los Angeles
Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Dan Wilcox has died at the age of 82.
Wilcox, who was best known for writing numerous M*A*S*H episodes, including co-writing the iconic series finale in 1982, died Feb. 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at Cedars -Sinai Medical Center.
His niece Julie Merson Rothenberg confirmed his death to the WGA, but did not reveal the cause of death.
In addition to Merson Rothenberg, he is survived by his actress wife Leslie Easterbrook, 74, sister Nina Wilcox Merson and niece Wendy Merson Rich.
In 2017, Wilcox received the Morgan Cox Award in honor of his service to the Writers Guild, with WGAW President Howard A. Rodman saying at the time, “Dan Wilcox has been a voice for the voiceless in a persistent and deeply moving way.
Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Dan Wilcox has died at the age of 82 (photo 2017)
Wilcox, who was best known for writing numerous M*A*S*H episodes, including co-writing the iconic series finale in 1982, died Feb. 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at Cedars -Sinai Medical Center (photo 2017)
“His work, which was at once passionate and effective, was for the benefit of those who might not otherwise have the power to be fully heard.”
Wilcox – alongside Alan Alda, Burt Metcalfe, John Rappaport, Thad Mumford, Elias Davis, David Pollock and Karen Hall – wrote the M*A*S*H series finale, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, which was viewed by a total audience of 121.6 million.
It is the most watched finale and single episode of any television series in American history.
Born in 1941 in New York City, Wilcox began his career writing for the CBS children’s show Captain Kangaroo.
He revealed he “almost lost” his chance at a television career with lackluster scripts, but his uncle Jed saved him.
He said: ‘He read my scripts and told me I had the comedy all wrong. “Never let the character be aware that there is a problem. He thinks things are going perfectly, and then everything falls apart!”
“Jed gave me a crash course in comedy writing that I have relied on my entire career.”
In the 1970s he started working on shows, including What’s Happening!! and Sesame Street – he won an Emmy in 1970 for his work on the children’s show and met his writing partner Thad Mumford in the process.
Wilcox – along with Alan Alda, Burt Metcalfe, John Rappaport, Thad Mumford, Elias Davis, David Pollock and Karen Hall – wrote the M*A*S*H series finale, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen (pictured), which was watched by a total audience of 121.6 million
Wilcox would go on to earn four more Emmy nominations for the talk show America 2-Nite and M*A*S*H, along with five Writers Guild Awards nominations, winning for the latter in 1980 (photo 2013)
Wilcox would go on to rack up four more Emmy nominations for talk shows America 2-Nite and M*A*S*H, along with five Writers Guild Awards nominations, winning for the latter in 1980.
Wilcox and Mumford joined M*A*S*H for season eight and stayed until the eleventh and final season – with Wilcox also serving as producer.
His writing credits also include Alice, Angie, Bay City Blues, Diagnosis Murder, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Cosby and Murder, She Wrote.