Gary Apple
Gary Apple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Gary Apple August 21, 1955 Brooklyn, NY[1] |
| Occupation | Television writer, author, entrepreneur, playwright |
| Alma mater | The College at Brockport, State University of New York[2] |
| Spouse | Bonnie Jill Lee[2] |
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Gary Apple (born August 21, 1955) is an American comedy writer. He has written for prime time network sitcoms including Get Smart, The Sinbad Show and animation series including The Simpsons, Sabrina: The Animated Series and The All New Mickey Mouse Club.
Career[edit]
Apple graduated from the State University College at Brockport, N.Y. His father owned Sterling Service, an appliance store in Forest Hills.[2] In 1990, Apple headed to the Los Angeles to become a sitcom writer, “I usually worked on really lousy shows,” Apple told the New York Times. “Nothing would last for more than a few season.” While there he for the television show The Simpsons (Homer's Triple Bypass), The Sinbad Show and Get Smart. In an interview for "Simpsons Wiki", Apple recalls: "Michael Carrington and I had just moved to Los Angeles to become sitcom writers. We wrote a "spec" script [for The Simpsons] that involved Homer becoming a corporate raider ... and Bart counterfeiting school raffle tickets. The script came out very well and eventually found its way to Sam Simon's office. He met with us and was impressed enough to give us a script assignment."[3]
Apple returned to New York in 1995 where he first founded an online candy company called: “stupidcandy.com". Apple’s internet business sold funny candy and novelty items that he remembered as a kid in Brooklyn. He attributes his success to the fact that a college kid sold him the domain name for $100 and also that search engines sent customers to his websites whenever they typed in the word “stupid”.[4] In 1997 Apple launched “Stupid.com” due to the fact that he jokingly refers to himself as “Mr. Stupid.”[4] The company warehouse is on [Long Island] and the headquarters is on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.[1] The company markets heavily in comedic political merchandise and gag-gift products.[5] According to a 2004 Chicago Tribune article, Apple’s company brought in $700,000 in sales and 15,000 website visits per day.[4][1][6][5][4]
At the same time Apple started his candy company, he and his writing partner Carrington, wrote episodes for the 1995 Get Smart remake on Fox television. Though it only lasted one season and was panned by critics, "Groucho Reviews" singled out Apple and Carrington's episode "Casino Evil" as " a conspicuously entertaining outing, with a sizable role for Max, a singing cameo by Robert Goulet ... and a story that feels as if it could be adapted straight from one of the '60s scripts."[7]
Previously, Apple and Carrington were writing for Fox television on The Sinbad Show; which aired on Thursday nights at 8:30pm following The Simpsons.[8] Although it received high ratings, Fox cancelled the show before the end of the first season with 2 episodes left unaired. The company also canceled other black cast shows such as Roc, South Central and In Living Color. Although certain activists protested these cancellations, Fox stated that the series had been canceled due to low ratings and not because of any racial intent.[9]
In 2018 he wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Christmas In Hell, an Off-Broadway musical.[10][11] In 2015, it was included in the New York International Fringe Festival, and in 2017 it received the Show-Score Best of Fest Award for Readings in the New York Musical Festival.[12][13][14] It opened Off-Broadway at the York Theatre Company and ran from December 4-30, 2018. The review in the New York Times was less than favorable, saying: "A show, however, must have a minimum of internal logic and some good tunes. “Christmas in Hell" ... comes up short on both counts."[15] Theatre critic for the DC Metro wrote: "... the rough and raw fringey show has undergone extensive rewrites during its preview performances, but still lacks theatrical refinement, with an unpolished tone that’s more in line with an extended Saturday Night Live skit or cable TV comedy, loaded with f-bombs, stereotypes, groan-inducing humor, and juvenile appeal."[16]
Apple is a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and the BMI Librettist Workshop.[17]
Personal life[edit]
Apple married Bonnie Jill Lee in May 1999.[2]
Television & theater[edit]
Television[edit]
| Year | Show | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Robert Klein Time | "Dorothy Dietrich" | Writer |
| 1991 | Pacific Station | "Friend of the Devil" | Story Editor |
| 1992 | Rhythm & Blues | "And the Banned Played On" | Writer |
| 1992 | The Simpsons | "Homer's Triple Bypass" | Writer |
| 1993-1994 | The Sinbad Show | 8 Episodes | Executive Story Editor |
| 1995 | Get Smart | 6 Episodes | Producer |
| 1998 | PB&J Otter | Various Episodes | Writer |
| 1999 | Sabrina | 3 Episodes | Writer |
| 1999 | Disney's Doug | "Doug Cuts School" | Writer |
| 2001-2002 | Oswald | 2 Episodes | Writer |
| 2005 | Time Warp Trip | "Hey Kid, Want to Buy a Bridge?" | Writer |
Theater[edit]
- Christmas in Hell - Off-Broadway musical - Book, Lyrics, and Music - The York Theatre (2018)[10]
- Small Wonders - 3 One-Act Plays - Produced at the Black Box Thespians (2015)[18]
- When God Comes For Breakfast You Don't Burn The Toast - One-Act Play. Samuel French. (January 1, 1978)
- Plays For An Undressed Stage - Collection of Three One-Act Plays. Samuel French. (January 1, 1980)
Published works[edit]
- Apple, Gary (1997). Mr. Bug's Phonics. ISBN 978-0194353564. Search this book on
- Apple, Gary (1997). Time Travel Trouble. ISBN 978-0021821471. Search this book on
- Apple, Gary (2001). Cam and Luck. ISBN 978-0021849772. Search this book on
- Apple, Gary (2001). Tourist Trap Island. ISBN 978-0021852758. Search this book on
- Apple, Gary (2010). Oxford Picture Dictionary for the Content Areas. ISBN 978-0194525008. Search this book on
- Apple, Gary (2011). Hell is for Real: A Little Boy's Incredible Journey to Hell and Back. ISBN 978-0615487182. Search this book on
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Biggs, John (2005-03-03). "Freud Action Figure? Yeah, We've Got That". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 New York Times. Weddings: Bonnie Lee & Gary Apple. May 1999.
- ↑ Fandom. Simpsons Wiki. Gary Apple.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Tribune, Dan Kening, Special to the. "Adventures in Corn Syrup Land". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Gag Gifts For Political Junkies". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ↑ "Top 10 stupid gifts from chickens to toilet golf". Reuters. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ↑ Groucho Reviews. "Get Smart" 1995. Episode: "Casino Evil".
- ↑ Zook, Kristal Brent (1999). Color by Fox: The Fox Network and the Revolution in Black Television. Oxford University Press US. pp. 11. ISBN 0-19-510612-1. Search this book on
- ↑ Dines, Gail; McMahon Humez, Jean (2002). Gender, Race, and Class in Media. SAGE. pp. 590. ISBN 0-7619-2261-X. Search this book on
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Christmas in Hell". yorktheatrecompany. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
- ↑ Dale, Michael. "BWW Review: Gary Apple's CHRISTMAS IN HELL, A Holiday Tale About Bad Fruitcake and Charles Manson". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
- ↑ March 2, JIM MERRITT Special to Newsday Updated; Pm, 2012 5:08. "The possibilities of midlife dreams". Newsday. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
- ↑ "LIer pens naughty but nice 'Christmas in Hell'". Newsday. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
- ↑ New Play Exchange. Gary Apple. National New Play Network. "Christmas in Hell - A Holiday Musical For The Whole Family.... Except The Kids."
- ↑ New York Times. "Review: The Devil Wears Pleather but Can’t Save ‘Christmas in Hell’" Elisabeth Vincentelli. December 16, 2018.
- ↑ DC Metro Theater Arts. Deb Millers. December 13, 2018. "Review: ‘Christmas in Hell’ at the York Theatre Company".
- ↑ "BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop 'Smoker' Set for April 26". BMI.com. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
- ↑ "Plays: Small Wonders (Three One Act Plays by Gary Apple) | Backstage". www.backstage.com. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
External links[edit]
- Christmas in Hell New York Theatre Guide Review
- Broadway World. Off Broadway. "The Simpsons Contributing Writer Gary Apple Will Debut New Irreverent Holiday Musical at NYMF"
- Talk Radio. Gary Apple: One Hell of a Writer!
- Talkin' Broadway. Off Broadway Reviews. Christmas in Hell'. Marc Miller. December 13, 2018.
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