A Moment of Silence

For one of the voices of my youth.

Dudley Do-Right writer dies

Chris Hayward, a television writer who brought his off-beat sense of humour to the Rocky and Bullwinkle TV show and comedies such as Get Smart and Barney Miller, has died.

Hayward, 81, died of cancer Nov. 20 at his Beverly Hills, Calif., home, his wife Linda said on Sunday.

Hayward is credited with helping create the bumbling Mountie Dudley Do-Right for the Rocky and Bullwinkle show, which debuted on ABC in 1959, then moved to NBC in 1961.

Hayward was part of the animation comedy writing team that developed at the Sunset Boulevard studios of Jay Ward.

Ward's "philosophy was: 'Just write sharp stuff for yourself and the audience will get it.' It was very freeing," said Allan Burns, a Bullwinkle writer who was Hayward's partner.

The show was packed with puns and parodies of classical literature and developed an adult following for the cast of zany characters. Much of that quick wit came from Hayward.

That show used to make me laugh myself silly. Rest in peace, Chris Hayward, and good work.

(Image from http://bullwinkle.toonzone.net/characters-dudley.htm)