George William Schenck (February 12, 1942 – August 3, 2024) was an American television writer and producer.[1] His credits included Futureworld,[2] the TV-movie The Phantom of Hollywood and numerous episodes of NCIS, where he was its showrunner from 2016 to 2018.

George Schenck
Born(1942-02-12)February 12, 1942
DiedAugust 3, 2024(2024-08-03) (aged 82)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
Occupation(s)Screenwriter, television producer
Years active1960s–2018
SpouseVirginia (died 2023)
Children2
FatherAubrey Schenck
Relatives

Early life

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Schenck was born in 1942, the son of film producer Aubrey Schenck.[3] His great-uncles Joseph M. Schenck and Nicholas Schenck were studio executives. They headed 20th-Century Fox and MGM, respectively. [3] Schenck served in the United States Navy and attended the University of Southern California.[3]

Career

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Schenck began working as a television writer in the 1960s, amassing credits on several shows, including Bonanza.[3] He worked on the comedy film Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title (1966) and the Western film More Dead Than Alive (1969), produced by his father.[3] A longtime collaborator with Frank Cardea, he also had a production company Schenck/Cardea Productions, which at one time, in the 1980s, was affiliated with Columbia Pictures Television.[4]

Schenck joined the writing staff of NCIS at the show's debut in 2003, and went on to write dozens of episodes.[3] He was an executive producer, and in 2016, Schenck and Cardea became the program's showrunners after the death of Gary Glasberg.[3] Schenck retired in 2018.[3]

Personal life

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Schenck and his wife, Virginia, were married for over a half-century until her death in 2023. They had two children, Jeffery and Kirk Schenck. Jeffery is an independent film producer having produced over 200 films. [3]

Schenck died at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on August 3, 2024, at the age of 82.[3][5]

References

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  1. ^ "George Schneck". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  2. ^ Eder, Richard (August 14, 1976). "Futureworld (1976) Screen: 'Futureworld':Science-Fiction Robots in Dominant Roles". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnes, Mike (August 5, 2024). "George Schenck, 'NCIS' Writer, Producer and Showrunner, Dies at 82". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "Making deals" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 6, 1984. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2024). "George Schenck Dies: Former 'NCIS' Showrunner Was 82". Deadline. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
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