As a gamer with a soft spot for long-running TV shows, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia at the passing of George Schenck. The man was a pillar of the television industry, his contributions to some of my favorite shows spanning decades and generations.
George Schenck, who took on roles as a writer, producer, and even co-showrunner for NCIS during its initial 15 seasons on CBS, passed away on Saturday at his Los Angeles residence. He was 82 years old, as confirmed by a representative from the network.
For four decades, I’ve been creatively bound with Frank Cardea. Together, we breathed life into hit shows like NCIS, but our journey started much earlier. We created the 1982-83 CBS adventure series Bring ‘Em Back Alive, which starred Bruce Boxleitner, and the 1984-86 CBS crime show Crazy Like a Fox, featuring Jack Warden and John Rubinstein. Our partnership also brought us to the 1991-92 ABC drama Pros and Cons, where legends like James Earl Jones and Richard Crenna graced our screens. It’s been quite a ride!
Since the debut of NCIS in 2003, the duo had written approximately 50 episodes. In November 2016, following Gary Glasberg’s untimely passing two months prior, they were appointed as co-showrunners. They expressed their sentiments then, saying, “We take on his duties with a heavy heart.”
“Mark Harmon, star and producer of NCIS, expressed his regret upon hearing the news about George. In a statement, he acknowledged that the professionalism and determination displayed by George and Frank significantly transformed the series. He is grateful for the camaraderie and collaboration they embodied within the team.”
Schenck retired in 2018, and Cardea remained with the series through 2022.
George William Schenck was born on the twelfth of February, 1942. His dad, Aubrey Schenck, was a film producer who worked at studios like Fox, Eagle-Lion Pictures, and collaborated with Howard W. Koch on projects such as ‘T-Men’ (1947) and ‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars’ (1964). George’s great uncles, Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, were the ones in charge at MGM and Fox movie studios.
As a devoted alum, I walked away with a screenwriting degree from USC under my belt, further enriched by a graduate education from their pioneering film school. To top it off, I proudly served our nation in the United States Navy.
In his early career, he penned episodes for shows like “The Wild Wild West,” “Branded,” “Hondo,” and “Bonanza,” as well as the movies “Don’t Worry, We’ll Think of a Title” (1966) and “More Dead Than Alive” (1969), both starring Clint Walker.
Subsequently, he collaborated on the script for the 1974 CBS movie “The Phantom of Hollywood” and for “Futureworld” in 1976, which was the initial sequel to the successful production by Michael Crichton titled “Westworld”.
For a significant amount of time, he along with Cardea managed a production company stationed at Columbia Pictures Television. Together, they were involved in various projects, including Fantasy Island, The Cosby Mysteries, High Sierra Search and Rescue, The Great Defender, Soldier of Fortune, Inc., Relic Hunter, and Hack.
Among those who carry on are his sons Kirk and Jeff, along with their spouses Allison and Natalie respectively. They are joined by their grandchildren Aidan, Andrew, Ryan, Jordan, and Owen. His devoted wife Virginia passed away in March 2023. If you wish to honor his memory, contributions can be made to the Writers Guild Foundation.
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2024-08-05 18:25