PACIFIC PALISADES—Bob Schiller, writer of the hit TV series “I Love Lucy,” passed away on Tuesday, October 10 at the age of 98. He co-wrote the show with Bob Weiskopf who passed away in 2001.
Schiller worked with actress Lucille Ball once the series ended on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” and “The Lucy Show.” He also worked with Weiskopf on other well-known series that included “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “The Red Skelton Show” and “Archie Bunker’s Place.” Schiller spend a vast majority of his career with comedic writing. In 1935, he attended UCLA, where he penned comedy pieces for The Daily Bruin and used the pen name “Bob Tales.”
During the 1940s, he was drafted into World War II, where he once said that “the worst weapon I had to use was a pie to the face.” He wrote columns for “Star and Stripes,” boosting troop morale.
Schiller received two Emmys during his career, both victories which he shared with Weiskopf. Those awards were for his work on “All in the Family” and “Flip.” Both Schiller and Weiskopf also won the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for lifetime achievement from the Writer’s Guild of America. The duo collaborated during the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, until Schiller retired in 1988. He passed away inside his Pacific Palisades home with his daughter, Sadie Novello by his side.
