Earl Barret, Co-Creator of Sitcom ‘Too Close for Comfort,’ Dies at 94 in Sherman Oaks

Earl Barret, the veteran television comedy writer best known for co-creating the sitcom “Too Close for Comfort,” died at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, on Oct. 22 at age 94. Barret launched his TV writing career in 1961 after attending Robert C. Dennis’s free weekly writing class, and the pair later collaborated on multiple episodes. Over a 30-year career, Barret wrote for numerous series, leaving a lasting mark on American sitcoms. His work on “Too Close for Comfort,” which starred Ted Knight and ran from 1980 to 1987, cemented his legacy in the genre. Barret’s passing marks the loss of a prolific behind-the-scenes talent whose contributions shaped family-oriented comedy for a generation of viewers.