Jerry Belson

Jerry Belson (July 8, 1938 – October 10, 2006) was a writer, director, and producer of Hollywood films for over forty years.

Belson's writing credits include the Steven Spielberg films Always and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, several episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and I Spy. During the early 1960s, concurrent with contributing scripts for TV sitcoms with then writing partner Garry Marshall, Belson did stories for Gold Key Comics. Belson also helped produce The Drew Carey Show, The Norm Show and The Tracey Ullman Show.

In the TV Land 2006 documentary The 100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases Lowell Ganz credits Belson with including in the script of the season 3 Odd Couple episode "My Strife in Court" (originally aired Friday February 16, 1973) the catch-phrase "Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME." Ganz noted Belson had heard it used years ago by a teacher in a typewriter repair class.

Belson died in Los Angeles, California on October 10, 2006 after a long battle with prostate cancer. His sister, screenwriter Monica Johnson, died on November 1, 2010.