GENE REYNOLDS

April 4, 1923

Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal was born on April 4, 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was raised in Detroit, before the family relocated to Los Angeles in 1934. He is best known for directing, producing and/or writing two hugely successful TV shows: “Lou Grant” (1977) and “M*A*S*H” (1972) which, along with his work on “Room 222″, earned him six Emmy Awards.  

Reynolds served in the United States Navy during World War II. Following the war, Reynolds received a degree in history at the University of California, Los Angeles, and picked up his acting career.

He made his screen debut in the 1934 Our Gang short Washee Ironee. That same year he was an uncredited extra in March of the Wooden Soldiers with Laurel and Hardy. He made his television debut in May 1949 in an episode of “Your Show Time” on NBC. 

Just before working with Lucille Ball, he worked for Lucille Ball doing a January 1957 episode of Desilu’s “Whirlybirds” 

On “I Love Lucy” he played the role of Mr. Taylor, the man who rents the Ricardo apartment when they move to Connecticut in “Lucy Hates To Leave” (S6;E16) filmed on December 13, 1956 and aired on February 4, 1957. His wife was played by Mary Ellen Kay. 

Around the same time, Reynolds started to transition to off camera work, like writing and directing. He directed 75 episodes of “My Three Sons” (filmed at Desilu Studios), from 1962 to 1964. He also directed three episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show” filmed on the Desilu backlot. 

Gene Reynolds died on February 3, 2020 at age 96. He was married to Bonnie Jones from 1967 to 1976. In 1979 he married Ann Sweeney. They had one child together.