“John Peaslee, the writer and producer who worked alongside his longtime creative partner, Judd Pillot, on such sitcoms as Coach, Just Shoot Me!, According to Jim and Liv and Maddie, has died. He was 73. Peaslee died Monday of natural causes at his home in Sherman Oaks, Pillot announced. The two had collaborated for 35”, — write: www.hollywoodreporter.com
Peaslee died Monday of natural causes at his home in Sherman Oaks, Pillot announced. The two had collaborated for 35 years.
“I will be forever thankful to the universe that I was with him for several hours that day, that I was able to hold his hand, recount all the stories — way too many to tell, but not nearly enough to fill the hole in my heart,” Pillot wrote on Instagram.
Peaslee and Pillot teamed on ABC’s Coach from 1989-93, on NBC’s Just Shoot Me! from 2002-03, on ABC’s According to Jim from 2005-09 and on Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie from 2013-17.
The pair also created ABC’s A Whole New Ballgame, which starred Corbin Bernsen and aired in 1995; ABC’s Something So Right, which starred Mel Harris and Jere Burns and ran from 1996-98; and CBS’ Payne, a 1999 adaptation of the fabled British comedy Fawlty Towers.
Originally from New York, Peaslee began his career in news and documentaries, first at Newsweek and then for producer Alvin H. Perlmutter.
He and fellow documentary filmmaker Pillot moved to Los Angeles in 1985, and they wrote for the sitcom Duet, which debuted in 1987 on the first night of Fox’s primetime programming.
Other shows on which they worked included Richard Lewis’ Anything but Love, Blue Skies, Some of My Best Friends, The Random Years, A Minute With Stan Hooper, 8 Simple Rules, Courting Alex, Sherri, Working Class and Dog With a Blog.
They also co-wrote the feature Crazy on the Outside (2010), starring and directed by Tim Allen.
In recent years, Peaslee championed children’s literacy and volunteered as a mentor in Los Angeles schools.
Survivors include his third wife, Dava, his daughter, Rebecca, and his brother, Jim. Donations in his memory can be made to an animal charity or to the L.A. chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous.
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