'Partridge Family' Producer Was 77

Paul Junger Witt, who produced such classic TV shows as The Partridge Family, Soap and The Golden Girls, died Friday morning at his home in Los Angeles, his publicist stated. He was 77.

Witt died after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Along with his accomplished TV career, Witt was also a producer on a number of movies, including Dead Poets Society, Three Kings and Insomnia. 

Beyond his work on the big and small screen, Witt had a passion for the environment that led him to serving on the California State Park and Recreation Commission for 16 years in the roles of chairman, vice chairman and commissioner. Among his involvement with other environmentally conscious organizations, he served on the board of ecoAmerica.

Witt was born in New York on March 20, 1941. A 1963 graduate of the University of Virginia, he had a seat on the school’s council of the arts as well as a membership on the USC School of Cinematic Arts board of councilors. 

Witt would meet his future wife, TV writer Susan Harris, in 1973 after he left Columbia Pictures to work with Tony Thomas at Danny Thomas Productions (Tony was a son of comedian and actor Danny). In 1975, the two men formed Witt/Thomas Productions, then Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions.

Witt and Harris would marry in 1983 and have five children together: Christopher, Anthony, Genevieve, Oliver and Sam. 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbvLpbCwp5%2BZv6a8zqurnqpemLyue82erqxnl5q7pr7ApWSnnaeofLGt1KVko62enLKzedaiq61llJqupXnPmqmtqpmZtKZ5xZqkoqSpYr2zu8Oump6qXayutHmWcGRqaWBrgnd%2Bjg%3D%3D