Henry Garson, 91; TV and Film Scriptwriter, Producer, Playwright

Henry Garson, 91, a writer whose film credits include Elvis Presley’s “G.I. Blues” and two of Jerry Lewis’ films (“Visit to a Small Planet,” based on a play by Gore Vidal, and “Don’t Give Up the Ship”), died May 29 after a lengthy illness at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills.

Garson was the son of Clara Austin, who performed in a dance act with her sister Jenny in the Ziegfeld Follies. He started out in a dancing and singing group in New York City, but later turned to writing comedy for radio.

For television, he wrote, directed or produced episodes of Danny Thomas’ “Make Room for Daddy,” “I Love Lucy,” “My Three Sons,” “All in the Family” and other programs.

His 1952 play, “In Any Language,” directed by George Abbott and featuring Uta Hagen and Walter Matthau, played at the Cort Theatre on Broadway for 45 performances.