John Aylesworth

JOHN AYLESWORTH is an award-winning television writer and producer, playwright, author, and personality who has been associated with the entertainment industry since the 1950's. He won the Peabody Award for "Frank Sinatra, A Man and His Music," co-created the longest running Variety show on American television, "Hee Haw," and created the longest-running game show on Canadian television, "Front Page Challenge." Aylesworth died July 28, 2010 near his home in Palm Desert CA.

TELEVISION

Over 30 years as writer and writer-producer of variety and comedy-musical television productions, including "Your Hit Parade," "The Kraft Music Hall" with Perry Como, "The Judy Garland Show," "Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music," "The Sonny and Cher Show," "Dolly," "Hullabaloo", "The Jonathan Winters Show," "The Andy Williams Show," "The Julie Andrews Show."

Created "Hee Haw," the longest running Comedy-Variety show of its type on American television. Created "Front Page Challenge," for the CBC, the longest running panel quiz show ever on television, which ran for 38 years.

Creator, writer and co-star of "After Hours," the first Canadian television comedy-variety show.

THEATER

"PALM SPRINGS CONFIDENTIAL" - Writer and Director

"THE COMEBACK OF MYRNA LA RUE" - Writer

"DURANTE - THE MUSICAL" - Co-Writer

Produced in Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, CA, and Los Angeles 1990

BOOKS

"THE CORN WAS GREEN:

The Inside Story of Hee Haw" McFarland Publishers

"A JOB LAUGHING" In process

"GEEZERS: Boot Camp for Boomers" Unpublished, 1998

"SERVICE" Unpublished, 1971, Screenplay

"FEE-FI-FO-FUM" Avon Books, 1961

AWARDS

PEABODY AWARD - "Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music" - 1965

EMMY NOMINATIONS - "Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music" - 1965

"The Julie Andrews Show" - 1972

"Sonny and Cher" - 1976

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC - "Man of the Year" - 1970