STEVE KRANTZ - WRITER/PRODUCER KRANTZ DIES

WRITER/PRODUCER KRANTZ DIES

STEVE KRANTZ, who produced the X-rated animated movie FRITZ THE CAT and created successful TV mini-series out of wife JUDITH KRANTZ's romance novels, has died. He was 83. Krantz died of complications from pneumonia on 4 January (07) in Los Angeles. During his TV career, he wrote for MILTON BERLE and ARTHUR GODFREY and helped create several comedies, including DENNIS THE MENACE and BEWITCHED as head of creative development at Columbia Pictures Television. He was also executive producer for STEVE ALLEN's THE TONIGHT SHOW. Krantz later turned to feature films such as Fritz the Cat, based on the ROBERT CRUMB underground comic and COOLEY HIGH, about black high school students in the 1960s. In the 1980s and 1990s, he produced mini-series based on his wife's steamy novels, including SCRUPLES, MISTRAL'S DAUGHTER and DAZZLE. After his retirement, Krantz was involved with mental-heath counselling and former California Governor PETE WILSON appointed him to the board of the California Mental Health Council.