David Davis Useless: ‘Bob Newhart Present,’ ‘Taxi’ Author was 86

David Davis, a veteran comedy author who co-created the indelible ensemble comedies “The Bob Newhart Present” and “Taxi,” died Nov. 4 in Los Angeles. He was 86 years previous.

Davis’ demise was confirmed Saturday by his daughter, Samantha Davis-Friedman. Survivors additionally embody his spouse of many many years, “Rhoda” star Julie Kavner, now finest referred to as the voice of Marge Simpson.

Davis was recognized for his work within the MTM Tv steady. He wrote for “The Mary Tyler Moore Present” and “Rhoda,” along with serving to to craft two Corridor of Fame sitcoms. After retiring from writing in 1979, Davis labored as a marketing consultant on TV and movie tasks, together with the ABC TV collection “Phenom” and famous options akin to 1987’s “Broadcast Information” and the 1983 Oscar winner “Phrases of Endearment.”

Born in Brooklyn in 1936, Davis received his begin in TV as a script supervisor on such early Sixties comedies as “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” and the pilot for “Gilligan’s Island.” He moved up the ranks by the mid-Sixties to affiliate producer on collection akin to “My Mom the Automobile” (typically cited because the apex of foolish ’60s sitcoms) and “He and She,” a short-lived however extremely influential 1967 romantic comedy collection starring Richard Benjamin and Paul Prentiss.

Davis shot footage highlighting Chicago’s post-modernist constructing increase within the early Nineteen Seventies for the memorable title sequence of “The Bob Newhart Present.” He additionally lensed the memorable 1974 “Rhoda’s Wedding ceremony” episode of “Mary Tyler Moore” spinoff “Rhoda,” which featured Valerie Harper racing by means of New York Metropolis in a marriage costume.

Davis co-created “Bob Newhart Present” for Newhart, who was by then a well-established comedic voice. The collection ran on CBS from 1972 to 1978. Davis adopted that up with “Taxi” which aired from 1978 to 1983 (at first on ABC and in its last season on NBC). The acclaimed collection was co-created by Davis with fellow MTM author/producer/administrators James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels and Ed. Weinberger.

Along with Kavner and Davis-Friedman, Davis’ survivors embody daughter Abigail Davis Smith, son-in-law Steve Smith; and 5 grandsons, Joshua Friedman, Jacob Friedman, Aden Smith, Asher Smith and Elijah Smith.