Arnold Peyser; With Wife, a Prolific Television Writer

Thirty years ago, the versatile writer was dutifully picketing with the Writers Guild when a firetruck stopped, the driver curious to know what was going on. A patient, detailed explanation of numerous union grievances only made the firefighter interrupt unsympathetically: “I gotta be honest . . . I don’t watch TV or go to the movies.”

“That’s OK,” responded the picketing wordsmith. “We don’t go to your fires.”

Arnold Peyser’s wit and sanguine understanding of the human condition helped him spin stories across the gamut of modern media--radio, a book, a motion picture or two, plays and television--especially television.

Peyser, who with his late wife, Lois, scripted such indelible series as “The Brady Bunch,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “My Three Sons,” died Sunday of cancer at his home in Brentwood. He was 80.

The Peysers shared a Writers Guild of America award in 1981 for their television film, “The Violation of Sarah McDavid,” starring Patty Duke.

Born and reared in New York City, Peyser began his writing career for radio comedian Fred Allen. Symbolically, he wound down that long career by penning two nostalgic plays about the Allen show and its star--”From Boston to Portland: The Fred Allen Story,” produced at Boston’s Lyric Stage in 1993, and “Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen,” starring Jack Riley at Sherman Oaks’ Whitefire Theatre in 1999.

In his one outing in book publishing, Peyser wrote “The Squirrelcage” in 1985, which a Times reviewer called a “sad, sweet, at times very funny novel.” The book, told from the teenager’s point of view, detailed the experience of a troubled boy named Paul who is committed to a psychiatric unit by his parents.

“Television writer Arnold Peyser effectively communicates,” the book reviewer said, “how people can be victims and then learn to become oppressors. . . . Paul’s move toward maturity unfolds with credibility, care and much charm.”

As a solo writer, Peyser also contributed to “The Dinah Shore Show” and created the “That Wonderful Year” segment of “The Garry Moore Show.”

The bulk of his work and his renown unquestionably occurred as half of the Peyser and Peyser writing team.

The couple wrote for the early days of television, including such respected anthology series as “Alcoa-Goodyear Playhouse,” “G.E. Theater” and Disney’s “The Wonderful World of Color.”

As sitcoms developed in the 1960s and dominated in the ‘70s, they regularly scripted episodes of “My Favorite Martian,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “Love, American Style,” “Mission: Impossible” and “Three for the Road.” They earned particular critical praise for “Father of the Week,” an episode considered a highlight of the Van Dyke TV series.

Although the Peysers seemed to prefer the small screen, they ventured into features in 1969 to write the screenplay for Elvis Presley’s “The Trouble With Girls (and How to Get Into It.)” Considered one of the better Presley film vehicles, the movie whimsically depicted the singer as manager of a 1920s Chautauqua show.

“Fox will do anything,” he said. “They’re like a scrappy terrier.” Even the staid older networks became more liberal, he said, adding: “If you’ve got a good political story with stars, it’s a go.”

Peyser, whose wife died in 1994 of ovarian cancer, is survived by two sons, Tom of Livermore, Calif., and Tony of Los Angeles; a sister, Adelaide Segerman; and three grandchildren.

A memorial service will be conducted at the Writers Guild Theater on Aug. 12.

The family has asked that any contributions be made to the Sunrise School at the H.E.L.P. Group, a school that aids autistic children, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.