George Tibbles

George Tibbles (June 7, 1913 – February 14, 1987) was an American composer, screenwriter, and television writer, contributing to TV series such as Leave it to Beaver, My Three Sons, Date with the Angels, The Munsters, The Addams Family, Alice, Family Affair, Dennis the Menace, A Touch of Grace, and Who's the Boss?

Tibbles was born on June 7, 1913, in New York City, New York.

Tibbles broke into show business in the late 1940s, writing music and lyrics for film shorts. In 1947, Tibbles co-wrote the popular Academy Award-nominated song "The Woody Woodpecker Song" with Ramey Idriss for Dick Lundy's 1948 animation Wet Blanket Policy. Kay Kyser's 1948 recording of the song, with Harry Babbitt's laugh interrupting vocalist Gloria Wood, became one of the biggest hit singles of 1948, selling more than 4 million copies.

As a screenwriter, Tibbles made his television entry in 1953, writing for many episodes of the TV series Life with Elizabeth, starring Betty White, Del Moore, and Jack Narz. He continued his work relationship with Betty White and the following year, he wrote for an episode of The Betty White Show. In 1957, he re-teamed with White on Date with the Angels, on which he served as writer and producer.

Tibbles' greatest achievement, however, was on My Three Sons (1960 - 1972), the situation comedy starring Fred MacMurray which he created under executive producer Don Fedderson. He wrote 96 scripts for the show's 380 episodes — more than any other writer — and served the series as a line producer during Season 2 and as its story editor and consultant for most of the twelve seasons the show was on the air. For his work, he was nominated for the Writers Guild of America award in 1961 (1960 episode "Chip Off the Old Block") and 1963 (1961 episode "Birds and Bees").

Tibbles also wrote the themes for the CBS series Bringing Up Buddy, which ran from 1960 to 1961, and Pistols 'n' Petticoats in 1966-1967.

In 1971, he co-wrote the story for Alan Rafkin's 1971 comedy How to Frame a Figg, starring Don Knotts, Joe Flynn, and Edward Andrews.

In 1979, he produced an episode of Diff'rent Strokes (starring Gary Coleman and Conrad Bain)

Tibbles' last writing credit was on "Our Song" episode (1986) of the TV series Throb.

Tibbles' son, Douglas Tibbles, was also a television scriptwriter who co-wrote teleplays both alone and with his father on numerous shows.

Tibbles died of cancer on February 14, 1987, in Rancho Mirage, California.