Television has lost an icon. Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of The Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island, died early this morning at age 94.
As a child who grew up with the ability to recognize every episode of The Brady Bunch within seconds of its opening, and who never wondered why the castaways could have so many special guests come and go yet they could never leave the island, it still amazes me that both of these shows were off the air before I really started watching television. Yet Schwartz created, for me and generations of children and adults, two iconic universes.
I was sad when I heard the news of Schwartz's passing, but I was touched when I read Schwartz's farewell letter to his family and fans, A Conversation at the Gates, which The Hollywood Reporter ran posthumously today. It gives one last glimpse into the humor and the heart that made Schwartz's two most famous creations so enduring.
In a Twitter post earlier today, Tina Louise, who played the glamorous Ginger Grant on Gilligan's Island, said, "Sherwood Schwartz brought laughter and comfort to millions of people. He will be in our hearts forever."
There's no denying that Sherwood Schwartz gave the world the gift of his talent, which you can still witness daily on a television channel somewhere. And for that, every one of us should be grateful.
Rest in peace.
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