Gene Perret, who started a decades-long comedy writing profession contributing jokes to stand-ups Slappy White and Phyllis Diller earlier than becoming a member of the Emmy-winning writing employees of The Carol Burnett Present, launching a 28-year tenure with Bob Hope and serving as a producer on Three’s Firm and Welcome Again, Kotter, died Nov. 15 of liver failure at his house in Westlake Village, CA. He was 85.

In accordance to household, Perret started writing comedy as a pastime whereas working as {an electrical} engineer for Normal Electrical in Philadelphia through the mid-Fifties. After contributing some one-liners to native comedian White, he was launched by a good friend to Diller, who employed him for her 1968 sitcom The Stunning Phyllis Diller Present and inspired Perret to pursue comedy writing full time. In 1969 he moved his household to California and inside a 12 months was writing for selection present The Jim Nabors Hour.

In 1971 and ’72, Perret wrote for Rowan & Martin’s Snigger-In earlier than contributing to episodes of The New Invoice Cosby Present, The Helen Reddy Present, Love, American Model, All within the Household and What’s Occurring.

He joined the favored CBS selection sequence The Carol Burnett Present in 1973, remaining till the tip of the present’s run in 1978. Nominated for six Emmy Awards throughout his Burnett run, he gained in 1974, 1975 and 1978.

After Burnett, he wrote and produced a number of episodes for hit sitcoms Welcome Again, Kotter and Three’s Firm, and in 1980 reunited with Burnett’s Tim Conway on the short-lived The Tim Conway Present.

Perret’s longest-lasting skilled collaboration was with Hope, serving on the comic’s writing employees for 28 years and dealing on dozens of Hope’s TV specials starting with 1984’s Bob Hope’s USO Christmas in Beirut.

Along with his tv work, Perret wrote quite a few journal articles and greater than 40 books, together with Comedy Writing Step by Step and The Comedy Writing Workbook.

Perret is survived by his spouse of 64 years, Joanne, 4 youngsters, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and several other nieces and nephews.