DAVID AXLEROD

AXLEROD--David. Television writer David Axlerod died December 13, 2021, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL. He was taken ill while in Aruba, Netherland Antilles and evacuated to Miami, where drastic surgical interventions failed to control the spread of fatal sepsis, He is survived by his wife, Lisa Ann Axlerod, nee Monitto. Axlerod was a native of Buffalo, NY and graduated from Syracuse University in 1959. A life-long devotee of the theater, he came to New York in 1960, where he collaborated with Sam Pottle and was employed on "Captain Kangaroo." With Pottle, he wrote dozens of songs for Sesame Street, Sesame Street Live, and the albums (including the radio jingles on The Count Counts). He wrote lyrics for most of the Sesame Street pageants, as well as America, Be Seated, performed at the New York World's Fair in 1964. He also created special material for such diverse talents as Marlo Thomas and wine magnate Ernest Gallo. A life-long member of ASCAP, Axlerod worked with Pottle on the 1964 stage musical "Money," co-writing book and lyrics with Tom Whedon. He contributed lyrics and/or dialogue material to various stage revues, including the 1973 National Lampoon production "Lemmings" with Paul Jacobs, Henry Beard, and others. He was a staff comedy writer for The Dick Cavett Show on the ABC Network, and wrote for two Mary Tyler Moore variety series. He also worked on the children's series Hot Hero Sandwich (sharing a Daytime Emmy Award with Joseph A. Bailey, Bruce and Carole Hart, and others). His other credits include the Dean Martin Roasts and a senior staff position on George Burns Comedy Week for Universal Studios. He co- wrote the feature film "Charlie Chaplin and the Curse of the Dragon Queen" with Stan Burns, and was on staff for the short- lived ABC-TV Series Saturday Night Live, hosted by Howard Cosell, which briefly preceded the long-running Saturday Night on NBC in 1975. He was happiest every new Broadway season, and he amused his friends and social media contacts with meticulously crafted original lyrics for classic pop hits and show tunes, written out of sheer exuberance for the songwriting craft. In lieu of flowers, his wife requests that donations to the ASCAP Foundation and the Writers Guild Foundation in David's name would be appreciated.