Hal Kanter, a writer and director who wrote for figures as varied as Bob Hope and Elvis Presley, and created a pioneering sitcom for a black actress in the 1970s, died Nov. 6 at 92.
Kanter co-wrote “Road to Bali” (1952) for Hope and Bing Crosby and “Pocketful of Miracles” (1961) for famed director Frank Capra, and co-wrote and directed “Loving You” (1957), which gave Elvis Presley’s his first starring role.
Kanter once said how he misunderstood Presley’s appeal until he met him, and ended up literally giving Presley a black velour pullover off his back.
In 1968, Kanter created “Julia,” starring Diahann Carroll as a nurse who was raising a young son alone after her husband was killed in Vietnam. It was the first TV show to feature a black female lead and won numerous awards over the years.
“We all felt we were really contributing to the mores of society,” Kanter said.
Kanter, who was known as a quipster, ended his 1998 autobiography, “So Far, So Funny,” with this quote: “If any of my work over the past 60 years has inspired, encouraged or motivated any young person to write comedy for radio, motion pictures or television, I apologize.” — jta