Stu Erwin, a former drama development executive at Grant Tinker‘s MTM Enterprises, died Nov. 22 at his home in Solana Beach, Calif., after a brief illness, his wife said. He was 82.
At MTM, a production company that had been known for hit comedies (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda), Erwin was instrumental in getting such noteworthy dramas as Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele, St. Elsewhere, Lou Grant and The White Shadow on the air.
He later worked as creative director for Tinker’s GTG Entertainment (Grant Tinker/Gannett), the home of Baywatch.
Earlier, Erwin supervised such network series as Marcus Welby, M.D. and McCloud as an executive at Universal Studios.
Erwin, who attended Beverly Hills High School and Brown University, began his career in show business as an associate producer on The Ed Sullivan Show, then ran the advertising division at Ralston Purina in St. Louis, Mo.
He was the son of actors Stuart Erwin and June Collyer, the real-life husband and wife who starred on the 1950-55 ABC comedy show Trouble With Father, later retitled The Stu Erwin Show. Erwin also starred as Joe Palooka in a 1934 film and was nominated for an Oscar for playing a hillbilly quarterback in Pigskin Parade (1936).
Survivors include his wife, Diane, five children and their spouses, and six grandchildren.
Read more Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2014
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