Roger Beatty, a veteran writer who won five Emmy Awards for his work on The Carol Burnett Show has died at age 87, a family rep confirmed to Deadline today.
Beatty passed away on April 6, at his home in Palm Desert after battling prostate cancer.
He was born in Los Angeles in 1933, and grew up in nearby Eagle Rock. After serving three years in the U.S. Coast Guard, he decided to focus on a career in show business.
Beatty got his start in television in 1956 on The Bing Crosby Show. The up-and-coming writer later worked his way through programs taped at CBS Television City, including The Red Skelton Show and The Danny Kaye Show, before joining The Carol Burnett Show with his childhood friend and director Dave Powers.
Beatty wrote his first sketch in 1969 for Burnett and continued to write through the last season of the series, which ended its run in 1978.
After The Carol Burnett Show, he directed episodes of Mama’s Family with Harvey Korman, along with various TV specials, and worked with Tim Conway on the Dorf comedy DVDs. He also co-wrote The Billion Dollar Hobo (1977) with Conway.
Beatty was recognized by the Director’s Guild with an Achievement Award for his work on Beverly Sills and Carol Burnett at the Met in 1976. The last project he worked on was directing Conway and Korman in Together Again, a live performance of over 500 shows across the U.S.
Beatty is survived by his older brother Darryl, his partner Georgette, three daughters, a daughter-in-law, granddaughter, grandson-in-law, extended family and friends.
Because of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, a celebration of his life will be held later, his family said.