George Schenck, who served as a writer, producer and/or co-showrunner on NCIS during the CBS drama’s first 15 seasons, died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, a network spokesperson announced. He was 82.
He and Frank Cardea shared a creative partnership for 40 years. In addition to collaborating on NCIS, they created the 1982-83 CBS adventure series Bring ‘Em Back Alive, starring Bruce Boxleitner; the 1984-86 CBS crime show Crazy Like a Fox, starring Jack Warden and John Rubinstein; and the 1991-92 ABC drama Pros and Cons, starring James Earl Jones and Richard Crenna.
After writing nearly 50 episodes of NCIS starting with show’s inaugural season in 2003, the pair were elevated to co-showrunners in November 2016 following the sudden death of Gary Glasberg two months earlier. “It’s with heavy hearts that we assume his duties,” they said at the time.
“So sorry to hear the news on George,” NCIS star and producer Mark Harmon said in a statement. “The professionalism and tenacity of George and Frank changed the face of the show. I’m so appreciative of the team and teamwork they both represented.”
Schenck retired in 2018, and Cardea remained with the series through 2022.
George William Schenck was born on Feb. 12, 1942, His father, Aubrey Schenck, worked at Fox, Eagle-Lion Pictures and with Howard W. Koch as a producer of films including T-Men (1947) and Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964). His great uncles, Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, ran MGM and Fox.
Schenck graduated with a degree in screenwriting from USC, added a graduate degree from the film school’s first class and served in the U.S. Navy.
His early writing credits included episodes of The Wild Wild West, Branded, Hondo and Bonanza and the films Don’t Worry, We’ll Think of a Title (1966) and More Dead Than Alive (1969), starring Clint Walker.
Later, he was a co-writer on the 1974 CBS telefilm The Phantom of Hollywood and on Futureworld (1976), the first sequel to the Michael Crichton hit Westworld.
He and Cardea had a production company based at Columbia Pictures Television, and they worked together over the years on Fantasy Island, The Cosby Mysteries, High Sierra Search and Rescue, The Great Defender, Soldier of Fortune, Inc., Relic Hunter and Hack as well.
Survivors include his children, Kirk and Jeff; their wives, Allison and Natalie; and his grandchildren, Aidan, Andrew, Ryan, Jordan and Owen. His wife of more than 50 years, Virginia, died in March 2023. Donations in his memory can be made to the Writers Guild Foundation.
