Gene Reynolds, co-creator of M*A*S*H, died on Monday, February 3, 2020. He was 96 years old.

The writer, director, and producer was approached in 1970 to produce a TV show based on the comedy film MASH about surgeons serving in the Korean War. Coupled with writer Larry Gelbart, they created the funny, clever show that saw a long, successful run of 11 years. The show garnered many awards, including several Emmy and Golden Globe wins. In addition to producing, he also directed and wrote several episodes for the series.

Born in Cleveland, Reynolds was a child actor who made his big screen debut in 1934’s Our Gang. As a kid he wanted to be a director and was able to get behind the scenes work while filming movies like Love Finds Andy Hardy and on shows like The Long Ranger, Dragnet, and I Love Lucy.

His first major non-acting work came in ’57 on Tales of Wells Fargo, which he created with James L. Brooks and Frank Gruber. He directed 74 episodes of My Three Sons, and directed stints on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, The Donna Reed Show, Gidget, The Munsters, and F Troop.

After M*A*S*H, Reynolds, Brooks, and Alan Burns created Lou Grant a spinoff of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. It explored the character as an LA newspaper editor and the making of news coverage.

In his later years, he directed Life Goes On, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Promised Land, and Touched by an Angel and he produced multiple episodes of Blossom.

Reynolds was nominated for 24 Primetime Emmys, winning six for M*A*S*H, Room 222, and Lou Grant. In 1993 he became the president of the Directors Guild of America, holding the position for four years.