M*A*S*H Writer, Larry Gelbart, Dies at 81

The award winning writer of the hit TV series "M*A*S*H," Larry Gelbart, died Friday night at his Beverly Hills home, at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer.

During his life, he was the writer of many award-winning shows, both on TV and on the stage. "M*A*S*H," the comedic war series, of which he was producer and writer for many episodes, won Gelbart an Emmy. The series also earned him a spot last year in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

Gelbart also won a Tony Award in for musical comedies "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (1962) and "City of Angels" (1989).

He was also twice nominated for an Oscar, for "Oh, God!" (1977) and "Tootsie" (1982). Gelbart was born in Chicago, though he moved to Los Angeles as a teenager with his family. His long writing career began when he was sixteen.

He is survived by his wife Pat, their two children and two stepchildren. Of writing, Gelbart once said that "Writers are a vital part of the process…As vital as a virgin at an Aztec sacrifice."

Read more: NY Daily News