Jerry Doolittle, who wrote White House jokes and murder mysteries, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 90, his family announced. Doolittle was a prolific writer and actor who wrote for the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner for decades and a number of murder mystery plays.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Doolittle developed an early interest in theatre and writing. While attending the University of Michigan he joined the U of M’s Gilbert and Sullivan Company, an organization dedicated to the legacy and art of British musicals.
At the age of 25, he moved to Washington D.C to write for the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, starting a long career that included writing gags and sketches for seven U.S. Presidents. As a full-time writer, Doolittle authored a number of murder mystery plays, many of which were performed in theatres across the United States.
During his career, Doolittle was honored with numerous awards for his work. He was the recipient of the Friends of the Library Lifetime Achievement Award from the Library of Congress, the Gold Medal from the American School of literature, and the Neil Simon Prize for writing excellence.
Aside from writing, Doolittle was also an actor, appearing in a number of plays and television shows. He was a regular performer on the comedy show Comedy Tonight, as well as on the shows True Confessions and Cheers.
With the passing of Jerry Doolittle, the world has lost a great comedic force. His contributions to comedy and theatre will be remembered for years to come.