Alan Woods              

WOODS, Alan (1918-2008). Radio and television sitcom writer,
advertising agency principal, and master of the corny yet memorable
line passed away on November 27th. He fought a brave and lengthy
battle with Parkinson's but the identity of the ultimate winner was
known from the outset.

Born in the Bronx, he was a championship handball player as a young
boy and claimed to have been quite adept at marbles.

He left NYU after three years and came to Los Angeles to pursue a
career as a writer. He started out writing for Red Skelton, Bob Hope
and Jimmy Durante.

While smoking his Calabash pipe and chatting with Durante one evening,
Alan coined the Schnozz's mysterious signature line: "Goodnight Mrs.
Calabash wherever you are".

Alan later wrote the Dennis Day radio show as well as several other
prime time classics. As episodic television replaced radio series, he
wrote episodes of Boston Blackie, Superman, The Gale Storm Show, My
Little Margie, Lassie and many others.

Alan was a ferocious bridge player whose keen memory enabled him to
defeat better players and irritate friends.

Among Alan's proudest accomplishments were teaching his four sons how
to hit a curveball, how and when to steal a base and how to do a
stand-up slide. He and his co-managers in little league and pony
league, Buck Azzalina and Burt Lancaster, often vied to see whose
advice would most be absorbed by their young charges.

Alan was joyously married to Helen Woods for 42 years, until her death
in 1987. For many of the years thereafter, he and Marjorie Bender were
constant and adoring companions.

Alan leaves wonderful memories and life lessons for his sons Eddie,
Dennis, Barry and Jeff, and his daughters-in-law Jan, Renee, Diane and
Joan. He also leaves his brother-in-law Chuck Franklin and the entire
Franklin brood; as well as his four beloved grandchildren, Josh,
Jeremy, Jared and Erin; and four great-grandchildren, Jack, Ryan,
Addyson and Marley.

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"It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen