Scott Ian Rubenstein

September 28, 1947 - July 25, 2019 Scott Ian Rubenstein passed away peacefully July 25th in West Hollywood with family at his side. * * * *An active member of the Writers Guild of America, West, Scott Ian Rubenstein started making up stories after reading a nursery rhyme about soldiers fighting in the bed covers and he's been telling stories ever since. He was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens, New York to Jewish parents. His father, Saul, was a Prisoner of War in World War II (held captive by the Japanese) and survived the Hell Ships, Bataan Death March and work camps. His mother, Shirley, was an irreverent writer and bookkeeper who moved the family across country to San Rafael when Scott was thirteen. Scott has always been a Giants fan (starting when they were the New York Giants, now San Francisco Giants) going against his parents' love for the then Brooklyn Dodgers - he's always been a rebel. Scott attended San Rafael High School with a head full of curly black hair and a dry sarcasm. He was voted "Funniest," and went on to major in Political Science at University of California, Davis and minored in Drama. He joined the Peace Corps, choosing the Philippines because his father was grateful for the kindness Filipino villagers and guerilla scouts showed him by sneaking food to the captives between the barbed wires. After graduating, Scott ended up teaching Catholicism (as a Jew) in Sacramento at Christian Brothers. One day he saw a small ad in a local newspaper that 20th Century-Fox was sponsoring a writing contest. Scott told his students that he wanted to enter and write an episode of the 1970s hit show, "Welcome Back, Kotter." He involved the students as he developed his spec episode and won one of ten spots, which brought him to Los Angeles where he joined the prestigious Fox's Comedy Writing Workshop. Over the lifetime of his writing career, Scott wrote over thirty episodes and a MOW, "Diet Doctor" for Television, which included shows like "Star Trek: TNG," "MacGyver," "9 to 5" "Night Court", "Hunter" and "Cagney and Lacey." In addition to writing for Star Trek: TNG, he was also the Story Editor. Scott was also a contributor to Now Write: Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, published by Tarcher/Penguin in 2014, writing the chapter "Surprise in the 24th Century." Later in his writing career, he was an often-times collaborator with wife, Devorah, writer-director-producer. On their first date they wrote an improvised poem, taking turns with consecutive lines. They continued to collaborate on a number of commercial as well as artistic projects, winning the Discovery Program Award where they co-wrote "Peacock Blues," for ShowTime. The 35mm short film won a number of awards, including best short film and audience favorite for The International Moondance Film Festival. Together they penned and exec-produced several short documentaries. Their doc, "Not Afraid to Laugh," about using humor to fight cancer, is archived in the National Museum of Broadcasting for "Social Relevance and Historical Significance." Scott loved numbers and story puzzles; he trademarked "The 24-hour Story Clock," about the progression of story units. His love of numbers and people lead him to also being an accountant. He has been Co-owner at LA Tax Service since its inception in 1982. He has always managed to juggle his career as an accountant and business owner with being a writer and a creator. Both writing and accounting allowed him to perform miracles on the page, but his best performances came as a stand-up comedian who won "Funniest Accountant in Los Angeles" in the 1990s. For the last eight years, Scott and his wife have been studying and performing improvisation for the Sills/Spolin Theater Works with Aretha Sills. Scott was creating his third career as an actor and was featured on John Stewart's "The Daily Show" and "The New Girl," and had recently been cast in director/singer India Dupre's edgy thriller as the surprise antagonist. A positive protagonist in the lives of emerging writers, Scott taught screenwriting, comedy writing and adaptation for the screen for over a decade throughout Southern California including California State University, Northridge and University of Southern California. He has lectured about writing and/or taxes and lectures internationally. One of these lectures led to a popular DVD for Creative Screenwriting, entitled, "How to Write Your Script and Deduct Your Expenses Off Your Tax Return." Scott was also a published poet and has written over 100 poems, some of which are on the backs of receipts and dirty napkins. He tried writing on a sock, but it got washed. Scott is described as a funny, kind, humble and generous man who loved people, travel and stories. He was an incredible listener with a big heart and love of imagination and surprises. He was always playful, loved sports and games and did not hesitate to sit on the floor or to put on silly costumes if requested by his grandchildren. He had a tremendous sense of humor about himself and life. His LA Tax Service newsletters that he wrote for over thirty years are legendary in combining humor with real tax tips.Scott is survived by his wife, Devorah Cutler-Rubenstein, his two children, Aaron Rubenstein and Sara Rubenstein Gavin, along with five, curious and creative grandchildren, close family and friends, including hundreds of beloved clients who Scott advised throughout his life.Family will be hosting a Memorial and Celebration of Life in Los Angeles, August 10th. Please consider a donation to:Scott Rubenstein Memorial Poetry Fund c/o American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial SocietyATTN: Judy Pruitt23 Elwell RdJamaica PlainMA 02130Mail check to above or paypal: http://dg-adbc.indiemade.com/product/education-fund-0**** And/or ****Teacher Scholarship FundThis is the link: https://www.violaspolin.org/donate