Allan Katz Biography

This page uses content from the Allan Katz biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

Allan Katz, born in Chicago, Illinois, is a writer, producer, actor, and director.

He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yellow Zonkers which was the first major product to be packaged in a predominantly black box. Every panel of the box was covered by absurd copy and illustrations. Katz wrote all the copy on the first several boxes, and wrote and produced the TV and radio campaign.

Katz was hired to be one of the youngest writers on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and moved to Los Angeles. While working on Laugh-In, he also wrote episodes of Sanford and Son, All in the Family, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

He went on to both write and produce other series including M*A*S*H, Rhoda, The Cher Show, and Roseanne.

In 1989 Katz wrote and starred in the cult comedy Big Man on Campus (aka The Hunchback of UCLA.)

Katz wrote the libretto for the musical Zapata (music by Harry Nilsson) the multiple award winning Off-Broadway musical, Song of Singapore, and the comedy, Partners.

Katz is also an essayist who has been published in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.

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