Hal Kanter: writer, producer, director: A Retrospective

Is it a crime to be a workmanlike writer? Is it noble to be able to churn out platinum caliber writing and high gloss "dreck" with equal intensity and craftsmanship? Hal Kanter was the very definition of a working writer, a man who could turn his considerable talents to any number of genres, equally adept at drama as well as comedy, though clearly comedy was his favorite venue. Hal Kanter had a special gift, an ability to craft material to a variety of talented artists and, over the course of a long career, Hal Kanter contributed to the legendary greats Bob Hope. Ed Wynn, George Goebel, Jimmy Stewart and Elvis Presley, to list but a few.

Yet it was a "star" with a single name that benefited the most from Hal Kanter’s comedic wit. "Oscar," the annual celebration of the best films and performers of a given year, "Oscar" and Hal Kanter enjoyed a long loving relationship that began in 1952, ending only in 2008 when Hal Kanter began to curb his activities due to age. On November 6, 2011 at the age of 92, Hal Kanter died of complications due to pneumonia.

Hal Kanter was born in Savannah, Georgia on December 18, 1918. He got his start as a writer, contributing gags to radio shows during the 1930s, but his true start was at the dawn of the age of television in 1949, writing for a comic who started out in vaudeville at the turn of the 20th Century. The Ed Wynn Show was one of television's pioneering hits, featuring a cantankerous artist who chewed up writers with panache, truly baptism under fire. Hal Kanter showed his verve and originality early in his career creating The George Goebel Show in 1954, a show that is fondly remembered for being "out there." Hal Kanter snagged an Emmy in 1955 for his efforts.

Through the rest of the 20th Century, Hal Kanter alternated between television and the movies, writing prolifically, directing now and then, and stepping in as a producer when necessary. Hal Kanter directed and wrote for Elvis Presley in 1957, Loving You, and co-writing Blue Hawaii in 1961. Stints with comedian Bob Hope added luster to Hal Kanter’s resume though the results were uneven.

Hal Kanter broke through barriers in 1968, creating and writing/directing Julia, a show featuring the lovely Diahann Carroll as a widowed nurse raising a son on her own. In its time, Julia stirred up a storm. Its star was a "black" woman. Many stations refused to air the show until it became a certified hit. To quote The New York Times, “The racial aspect of ‘Julia’ is only incidental,” he told Time magazine in December 1968. “To me, the news is that a Negro family is featured, and they’re not choppin’ cotton and they’re not on relief, but they’re part of what some people consider the mainstream of American life.”

Hal Kanter was regarded as a genuinely nice man, beloved by his peers. According to TV Guide, "What a dear man," friend Carl Reiner said. ”He was considered one of the wits of the industry; there's no question about it. Any time he was called upon, he always could make the audience laugh. He was a funny elder statesman, and there's nothing better than having a witty elder statesman."

Hal Kanter embodied a work ethic that should inspire generations of writers, his value to television is assured by the credits he amassed, and one is encouraged to go to IMDb.com and type in his name. Hal Kanter is survived by his wife of 70 years, Doris, who is also a writer, and their daughters Donna, Lisa and Abigail, and a granddaughter.