Michael Ross (born Isadore Rovinsky) (August 4, 1919 – May 26, 2009) was an American

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

and television producer. Ross, together with writing partners Don Nicholl and

Bernard West Bernie West (May 30, 1918 – July 29, 2010) was an American television writer and actor best known for his work in situation comedies such as '' All in the Family'', its spinoff '' The Jeffersons'', and '' Three's Company''. Biography Born ...

, were writers/producers for '' All in the Family'' (for which Ross won the 1973 Emmy Award for Writing for a Comedy Series), '' The Jeffersons'', ''

The Dumplings The Dumplings are a Polish electropop duo from Zabrze, consisting of Justyna Święs and Kuba Karaś. As of 2016, they have released two studio albums. Their debut studio album ''No Bad Days'' was released in May 2014 through Warner Music. It h ...

'', and '' Three's Company''. Ross and West continued as executive producers of ''Three's Company'' after the death of partner Nicholl in 1980, also producing the spin-off shows '' The Ropers'' and '' Three's a Crowd''.

Biography

Born and raised in New York City to Jewish family, Ross graduated from City College of New York City in 1939. Ross then served as a bomber pilot in United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Ross, along with longtime business partner Bernie West, made his mark in the 1970s with the breakout TV

situation comedy A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

, “All in the Family,” for which he won a writing Emmy in 1973. Ross first worked with

Norman Lear Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Famil ...

in the 1950s, when Lear was the producer of NBC's short-lived (26 episodes) sitcom ''The Martha Raye Show''. After writing for Lear's ''All in the Family'', Ross went on to scribe and serve as

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

for the spin-off '' The Jeffersons''. Ross later established the Michael and Irene Ross Chair in Hebrew and Yiddish and the Michael and Irene Ross Program in Jewish Studies at the

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

in New York City. Ross also made a $3 million bequest and 25% share of his rights to all his shows to the National Yiddish Book Center. Ross died May 26, 2009, due to complications following a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

and heart attack.Nelson, Valerie J. (May 30, 2009)
Michael Ross dies at 89; TV writer-producer endowed Jewish studies programs.
'' Los Angeles Times''''TV writer/producer Michael Ross dies; Worked on "All in the Family", "Jeffersons"'', by Andrew Stewart, Film Reporter @Variety_Stewart for Variety.com, MAY 28, 2009.
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References

External links

* American male screenwriters American television producers Emmy Award winners 1919 births 2009 deaths Jewish American screenwriters 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews {{US-screen-writer-stub