Through his father (who was Danny Thomas' barber), landed first writing job on the radio show "Maxwell House Coffee Time with Danny Thomas"

Screen tested by Twentieth Century Fox; did not pass the audition process

Wrote for the radio show "Duffy's Tavern"

Served in the US Army

Was a gag writer for radio's "The Bob Hope Show"

First play produced, "My L.A."

Was a staff writer on NBC's "The All-Star Revue"

Wrote for "The Red Buttons Show" (CBS, 1952-1954; NBC, 1954-1955)

With Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Mel Tolkin, wrote for "Caesar's Hour" (NBC), starring Sid Caesar

Was a writer on "The Pat Boone Chevy Show" (ABC)

Co-wrote "The Art Carney Show", a variety special that aired on NBC

Penned the libretto for the musical "The Conquering Hero"; show closed after seven performances

Wrote first film, "The Notorious Landlady"

Had stage success as co-author (with Burt Shevelove) of the book for the stage musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"

Wrote for CBS' "The Danny Kaye Show"

Penned the variety special "Judy Garland and Her Guests. Phil Silvers and Robert Goulet"

Moved with his family to England

Produced first feature, "The Wrong Box" (also writer)

Last film for eight years, "A Fine Pair"; co-wrote with three other writers

Returned to live in the USA

Produced first TV series, "M*A*S*H"; also wrote and directed episodes; left series after the 1975-1976 season

Co-wrote the award-winning variety special "Barbra Streisand ,,, and Other Musical Instruments" (CBS)

Produced and wrote episodes for the CBS sitcom "Roll Out!"

Executive produced and wrote episodes of the ABC sitcom "Karen", starring Karen Valentine

Returned to Broadway after more than a decade as playwright of "Sly Fox", a modern day spin on Ben Johnson's "Volpone" starring George C Scott (and later Jackie Gleason)

Earned first Academy Award nomination for his script for "Oh, God!"

Contributed to the pastiche film "Movie Movie", directed by Stanley Donen

Created and scripted the TV series "United States", one of the first TV comedies not to use a laugh track

Took his name off the final version of "Rough Cut"; used pseudonym Francis Burns

Shared a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination for "Tootsie"

Wrote and directed episodes of the CBS TV series "AfterMASH"

Wrote last feature for over a decade, "Blame It on Rio", directed by Stanley Donen

Provided the libretto to the musical "One, Two, Three, Four, Five", an adaptation of the first five books of the Bible, with a score by Maury Yeston; show also played under the title "History Loves Company"

Play "Mastergate", a satire of the Iran-contra hearings, opened and closed in New York

Had Broadway success with the musical "City of Angeles", score by Cy Coleman and David Zippel

Adapted his play "Mastergate" for Showtime

Wrote the TV adaptation of "Barbarians at the Gate" (HBO)

Executive produced and wrote the TV-movie "Weapons of Mass Distraction" (HBO)

Served as executive producer of the Showtime series "Fast Track"

Commissioned by Andrew Lloyd Webber to write the stage adaptation of "A Star Is Born"; project put on hold

Wrote drafts of the screenplay for proposed film adaptation of the hit musical "Chicago"

Reteamed with lyricist David Zippel for stage musical biography of director Busby Berkeley

Contributed to the script for the remake of "Bedazzled"

Penned 26 five-minute episodes for a politically-themed Internet comedy

Had adaptation of "Lysistrata" (with music by Alan Menken) cancelled by the American Repertory Theater for being "ferociously obscene"

Writer for the screen adaption of the musical "Chicago"

Executive producer and writer for the HBO special "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself"