November 16, 2024
John Peaslee, a renowned writer who rose to prominence from television shows like Liv and Maddie, Just Shoot Me!, and Coach, recently passed away at 73.
Judd Pillot, the maker of Blue Skies and Something So Right, announced the news of Peaslee’s demise through his Instagram.
He revealed that Peaslee died on November 11 of natural causes at his home in Sherman Oaks.
Pillot also scribbled a note that read, “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.”
For those unversed, hailing from New York, Peaslee started his career in news and documentaries, working first at Newsweek and then with producer Alvin H. Perlmutter.
Then he became friends with Pillot, both documentary filmmakers, and moved to Los Angeles in 1985, where they wrote for the sitcom Duet, which started in 1987 on the first night of Fox’s primetime shows.
Moreover, Peaslee and Pillot worked together in 1989 on ABC’s Coach and also teamed up to collaborate on NBC’s Just Shoot Me! that aired from 2002 to 2003, ABC’s According to Jim from 2005 to 2009, and Maddie from 2013 to 2017.
The duo also joined forces for ABC’s A Whole New Ballgame, starring Corbin Bernsen, which aired in 1995; Something So Right with Mel Harris and Jere Burns, which ran from 1996 to 1998; and CBS’ Payne, a 1999 remake of the British comedy Fawlty Towers.
It is pertinent to mention that Peaslee and Pillot spent 35 years of their lives together, working on different projects.