Lou Morheim, Writer and Producer of The Big Valley and Other Top Shows

Lou Morheim, a writer and producer who worked on several top television series of the 1960s and ’70s, as well as feature films, died September 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, California. He was 91.

Morheim, a native of the Bronx, began his career as a screenwriter and later became a producer as well. His early credits included Ma and Pa Kettle, the first in a popular series of comedies starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride as the rural couple of the title. His other film credits included Pier 23, Smuggler's Island, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, The Magnificent Seven and The Hunting Party.

In the mid 1950s Morheim began writing for television, which would become his principal focus in the years that followed. He is perhaps best known for The Big Valley, which starred Barbara Stanwyck, Peter Breck, Linda Evans and Lee Majors. In all, Morheim worked on more than 100 episodes of the popular western series.

His other TV work as a writer included Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion, Sherlock Holmes, Zane Grey Theater, Rawhide, The Virginian and Bronk. His other series as a producer includedCombat!, The Outer Limits and Ironside.

In addition, he worked on several made-for-television movies, including The Unknown,Quarantined, Wild Women, Madame Sin, Scream, Pretty Peggy, Skyway to Death, A Cry in the Wilderness, Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell and S.O.S. Titanic.