Television writer and producer Bernie Orenstein dies at age 95

Bernie Orenstein, the television comedy writer and producer behind hits such as Sanford and Son and The New Dick Van Dyke Show, has died at 95.

FTMQ Film & TV, written by our newsroom14 October 2026 at 01:080 views

Television writer and producer Bernie Orenstein died on September 14, 2026, at the age of 95. His family confirmed his death, according to reports from ComingSoon and Variety. [1][2]

Born in Toronto in 1931, Orenstein started his career in the entertainment industry in 1956 by writing for television shows including The Barris Beat, ComingSoon reported. Variety added that Orenstein frequently worked alongside his writing and producing partner, Saul Turteltaub. [1][2]

Throughout his career, Orenstein wrote and produced several prominent television series. ComingSoon and Variety report that his credits included Sanford and Son, Kate and Allie, That Girl, and The New Dick Van Dyke Show, which was a 1970s follow-up to the original series. [1][2]

The original version of The Dick Van Dyke Show was created and produced by Carl Reiner, running on CBS from 1961 through 1966 for 158 episodes. [7]

Bernie Orenstein died on September 14, 2026, at the age of 95.
Orenstein began his television writing career in 1956.
He frequently partnered with co-writer and co-producer Saul Turteltaub.
His television credits include Sanford and Son, Kate and Allie, and The New Dick Van Dyke Show.

Sources

Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.

[1]Acclaimed The New Dick Van Dyke Show & Cosby Writer Bernie Orenstein Passes AwayComingSoon, 2h ago (the report this story comes from)
[2]Bernie Orenstein, Co-Writer of ‘That Girl’ and ‘The New Dick Van Dyke Show,’ Dies at 95Variety, 6h ago
[3]Lanterns Writer Tom King Explains Why [SPOILER] Got Away With Killing Hal JordanTV Line, 17h ago
[4]Acclaimed The New Dick Van Dyke Show & Cosby Writer Bernie Orenstein Passes AwayCrave Online, 2h ago

Background

[5]Dick Hallorann on Wikipedia
[6]The Cosby Show on Wikipedia
[7]The Dick Van Dyke Show on Wikipedia

Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 7 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.

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