Alan Uger

Alan Uger has been a writer for the screen since the early 1970s, but achieved his greatest success on television in the late 1980s. His first professional writing job was on the short-lived sitcom "The Corner Bar" in 1972. Shortly afterward, he wrote the screenplay for Mel Brooks's classic western parody film, "Blazing Saddles." After collaborating with the director in 1974, he would work with Brooks again when he developed the television version of the "Free to Be You and Me" album and illustrated book. For the rest of the '70s and into the early '80s, Uger worked mostly on television, creating the police comedy "Ann in Blue." He began what would become his most recognized work in 1983 when he came on as a writer for the family sitcom "Family Ties," which introduced Michael J. Fox to the world. Over the course of six years, Uger wrote over 35 episodes of the popular show, earning an Emmy and five nominations in the process. He worked his way up within the show's hierarchy, eventually becoming a producer in 1984 and a co-executive producer by 1987. Uger's work on "Family Ties" led to a job as a writer and supervising producer on the 1990s male-bonding sitcom "Champs."