Jerry Belson (born in El Centro, California on July 8 1938) was a writer, director, and producer of Hollywood films for over forty years.
Some of Belson's writing credits include the Steven Spielberg films Always and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, several episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and I Spy.
During the early 1960s, concurrent with contributing scripts for TV sitcoms with then writing partner Garry Marshall, Belson did stories for Gold Key Comics
Belson also helped produce The Drew Carey Show, The Norm Show and The Tracey Ullman Show.
In the TV Land 2006 documentary The 100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases Lowell Ganz credits Belson with including in the script of the season 3 Odd Couple episode My Strife in Court (originally aired Friday February 16, 1973) the catch-phrase "Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME." Ganz noted Belson had heard it used years ago by a teacher in a typewriter repair class.
Belson died in Los Angeles, California on October 10, 2006 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Early in his comedy writing career, his writing partner was Garry Marshall. They sold many comedy scripts to shows such as "Dick Van Dyke Show, The" (1961) and their specialty was writing slapstick and physical humor.
Father of Kristine Belson, Julie Belson and Willi Belson.
Grandfather of two. Sister, screenwriter-novelist Monica Mcgowan Johnson; a brother, radio personality Gordon Belson.
After graduating from high school, he struggled to make a living as a magician, comic book writer, and drummer. He finally sold a script to "The Danny Thomas Show" when he was 22.
As a writer, he was not afraid to try risky things. His co-writer Garry Marshall said Belson wrote some bizarre humor, and Marshall told him that only four people would get the joke. Belson replied "More than enough.".
One of his favorite anecdotes was about how he and his wife Jo Ann finally got married. She gave him an ultimatum: "Marry me or I'm going to Europe." As he waited with her at the airport, she repeated her request: "What do you want? Should I take off or stay?" Jerry's response: "Can you take off and circle?".
