David Lloyd: 1934-2009

Television writer David Lloyd, highly regarded for his comedic work on Frasier, Cheers and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died early last week of prostate cancer, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was 75.

Along with other classic sitcom plots, Lloyd is solely responsible for the Emmy-winning “Chuckles Bites the Dust” episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Out of 100 contenders, TV Guide later ranked the 1975 script its Greatest Episode of All Time.

Lloyd began his 40-year television writing career crafting jokes for Tonight Show hosts Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. His son Christopher followed Lloyd’s footsteps into television, eventually becoming co-executive producer of Frasier.

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