Emmy award-winning producer Gary Dontzig has died. He was 79. The writer and producer had an incredible career, and his work included the popular ‘80s sitcom “Murphy Brown” and “Hannah Montana.”
Gary Dontzig Passes Away
GettyDontzig’s death was reported on Thursday, March 5, but he died on February 23, his writing partner Steven Peterman revealed, Deadline reports. Dontzig died in Los Angeles after a “sudden, brief illness,” Deadline reports. However, in a Facebook post on February 26, Peterman wrote that his friend died after “battling a rare and aggressive auto-immune syndrome.”
The two writers worked closely together, including on “Murphy Brown,” where they co-wrote 25 episodes of the beloved show. They became the executive producers after Season 4, Deadline reports. “He was, as I often called him to his face, the hardest-working saint in show business,” Peterman told Deadline. “I’ve spent much of my adult life trying to be as nice a person, and it’s a frustrating, impossible task. I will miss him like a brother.”
Dontzig was deeply loved and affectionately referred to as “Dr. Dontzig.” He had a loving life partner of over 30 years, Gary Campbell, and is survived by a sister, Lois Pierris; his niece, Claudine; and his cousins, Deadline reports. The family has asked that donations be made to the New Mexico Wildlife Center, Santa Fe Animal Shelter, or PETA instead of sending flowers.
Tributes for Gary Dontzig Pour In
Peterman shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, remembering Dontzig and the brilliant man that he was. He posted several throwback photos from happier times and wrote how he had been delaying posting about his friend’s death because he, like so many others, was grieving the loss of Dontzig.
He continued, “I didn’t want to commit the event to print, as if avoiding it would make it any less real. But my writing partner of over twenty years, my friend, my brother, Joseph Gary Dontzig, passed away Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai after battling a rare and aggressive auto-immune syndrome. Of course it would be rare, because nothing ordinary could claim this remarkable human being.”
Peterman revealed that he cherished the memories of Dontzig and shared some of them in his post. “Here are some memories encompassing a small part of the journey we shared, from the San Diego stage production where we first met to writing one of our first specs (I’m the one on the couch with three torn ligaments), to Murphy Brown to Suddenly Susan to the patio of his vast New Mexico estate,” he wrote. “And finally a photo of Gary and his Gary, who I hope are now at last reunited and surrounded by every cat and dog they saved along the way.”
Gary Dontzig Is Missed
CanvaReactions on the post include, “So very sorry, Steven. This is a hard one,” “So sorry to hear. You two were always so kind when I’d run into you in building 140 or 136. A kind man with lots of great jokes!,” and “I’m so sorry to hear this, Steve. Gary was so much fun to work with; I remember wishing we could have had him for the full run of HM. Thinking of you, my friend.” It is clear from the comments that Dontzig was special and had an impact on many people he met. He will be remembered fondly.
