Gene Perret (1937–2022,) fully Eugene Richard Perret, was an American comedy writer and producer. His talent was recognized with three Emmys for his contributions to The Carol Burnett Show, winning in 1974, 1975, and 1978, and receiving three additional nominations.
Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Perret started his career as an engineer at General Electric in 1956. His comedic flair emerged when he elicited laughter during a roast of his boss, eventually leading him to write one-liners for local comics. Subsequently, his jokes caught the attention of comedy legends Slappy White and Phyllis Diller, propelling him into a full-time writing career.
Perret’s comedic prowess extended across numerous television shows, including notable productions like Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, All in the Family, and Three’s Company. His sharp wit and knack for crafting memorable punchlines earned him widespread acclaim as he collaborated with iconic figures like Joan Rivers and Carol Burnett. He spent 28 years working alongside Bob Hope, eventually becoming the Head Writer and accompanying him on many of his USO Christmas Tours to entertain the troops.
In addition to his television contributions, Perret authored over three dozen books on comedy writing, including How to Write and Sell Your Sense of Humor (1998,) The Ten Commandments of Comedy (2006,) The New Comedy Writing Step by Step (2007,) and Write Your Book in 30 Days (or Less!) (2013.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Gene Perret
Grandchildren: the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS.
—Gene Perret
Retirement: It’s nice to get out of the rat race, but you have to learn to get along with less cheese.
—Gene Perret
Topics: Retirement
An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly.
—Gene Perret
We have the greatest pre-nuptial agreement in the world. It’s called love.
—Gene Perret
Topics: Marriage
Leisure: A fancy word for people who don’t want to admit they’re bored.
—Gene Perret
Topics: Leisure
Humor is an attitude. It’s a way of looking at life and of telling others how you feel about what’s happening around you.
—Gene Perret
Retirement is wonderful. It’s doing nothing without worrying about getting caught at it.
—Gene Perret
Topics: Retirement
Do you know why grandchildren are always so full of energy? They suck it out of their grandparents.
—Gene Perret
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