Patt Shea, Writer for ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Archie Bunker’s Place,’ Dies at 93

Patt Shea, a prominent figure in comedy writing and a regular collaborator with Norman Lear, passed away at the age of 93. She was renowned for co-writing the series finale of “All in the Family” in 1979 and contributing to its spin-offs, “Archie Bunker’s Place” and “Gloria.”

Shea died of natural causes on April 12, her birthday, at her home in Sherman Oaks. Her son, Michael Shea, who works in the film industry as a director and assistant director, disclosed this to The Hollywood Reporter. The family waited to announce her passing until this week.

Michael said, “Patt Shea was a trailblazer in comedy writing. Her success as a writer in groundbreaking sitcoms was only matched by her generosity and compassion for people.”

Shea’s husband of 59 years, Jack Shea, passed away in 2013. Jack had directed numerous episodes of Lear-connected sitcoms, including “The Jeffersons,” “Silver Spoons,” and “Sanford and Son.” He also served as the president of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) from 1997 to 2002.

Patt Shea’s first TV writing credit came in 1977 on “The Jeffersons.” She also contributed to Lear’s projects “Sanford,” “In the Beginning” starring McLean Stevenson, and “Mama Malone,” created by Terrence McNally. Additionally, she collaborated with “All in the Family” stars Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton on their subsequent series “In the Heat of the Night” and “Bagdad Café,” respectively.

Shea served as a story editor and then staff writer on “All in the Family,” where she often partnered with Harriett Weiss. Together, they wrote the series’ final episode, “Too Good Edith,” which aired in 1979. In this episode, Edith (Jean Stapleton) secretly battles phlebitis while preparing food for Archie’s (Carroll O’Connor) St. Patrick’s Day event, leading to an unusually tender moment between the couple. The episode earned Shea the first of her three Humanitas Prize nominations.

Following “All in the Family,” O’Connor and Stapleton moved on to “Archie Bunker’s Place,” which aired for four seasons until April 1983. Shea earned writing credits on about 20 episodes of this series. In the second season, it’s revealed that Edith has died from a stroke.

Shea, Weiss, and Joe Gannon then created the spin-off “Gloria,” which featured Sally Struthers’ character from “All in the Family” working in a veterinarian’s office. This series lasted for one season (1982-83) spanning 21 episodes.

Born Patricia Catherine Carmody in Sacramento on April 12, 1931, Shea was the daughter of a realtor. She attended St. Francis High School and Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. There, she met her future husband backstage during a performance of “George Washington Slept Here.” They married in Carmel, California, and moved to New York for a period while Jack worked as a stage manager for NBC. They settled back in Los Angeles in 1953.

Shea took writing classes at UCLA and always carried a yellow pad with her to jot down ideas while attending her children’s activities. Her initial writing credit on “The Jeffersons” was under the direction of her husband. She also wrote for “Happy Days,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Lou Grant,” “Valerie,” and “The Golden Girls.”

In 1992, Shea and her husband co-founded Catholics in Media Associates and received the organization’s lifetime achievement award ten years later. They also earned the Luminosa in Unity honor from the Focolare Movement for promoting positive values in the entertainment industry.

Patt Shea is survived by her sons Michael, Bill, and J.J., and grandchildren Amanda, Michael, Dylan, Hudson, Katherine, and Jackson. Her oldest child, daughter Shawn Shea, a longtime assistant director and stage manager in Hollywood, passed away in February from pneumonia at age 69. Another daughter, Elizabeth, died in 2006 at age 48.

A joint service for Patt and Shawn was held on April 20 at St. Francis De Sales Parish in Sherman Oaks.

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