Gene Perret, an 85-year-old Emmy-winning writer who wrote for “The Carol Burnett Show” and for Bob Hope, has passed away.
Linda Perret, his daughter, told The Hollywood Reporter that her cherished father passed away on November 15 from liver failure at his home in Westlake Village, California.
Throughout his illustrious career, Perret was a valued writer for “The Carol Burnett Show,” for which he won three Emmys in 1974, 1975, and 1978 for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series.
Later, he wrote for “All in the Family,” “Welcome Back,” “Kotter,” and “Three’s Company.” His celebrity position catapulted him to prominence among Hollywood natives.
Perret penned jokes for Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, and Tim Conway, among others, according to his website. He was Hope’s primary writer from 1969 until the comedian’s retirement.
During his career spanning five decades, Perret also attempted to write novels, which contributed significantly to his success. He eventually authored over 45 books on humor and contributed to a number of well-known magazines.
Perret was asked by The Writer in 2016 how he judged whether the content on the page in front of him constituted quality work.
He told the outlet, “You really don’t.” “Comedy writers rely on their sense of humor and their expertise to judge what is humorous. However, we are merely speculating.”
“Often, a joke you adore gets rejected by the customer or the rest of the writing team. “Writers must rely on their instincts, but the audience ultimately decides what is humorous,” he continued.
Perret is survived by Joanne, his wife of 64 years, and his children Joe, Terry, Carol, and Linda. In addition, he is survived by six grandkids and seven great-grandchildren.