Oscar Co-Producer Resigns

Television’s “MASH” co-creator Larry Gelbart resigned as writer/co-producer of the upcoming Academy Awards TV program today in support of the Writers Guild of America strike against television and motion picture producers. Gelbart had been granted a special waiver by both the guild and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to write the Academy Awards program, despite the strike.

Gelbart made the announcement shortly before noon outside CBS Television City where an estimated 3,000 guild members picketed during the first public demonstration since the strike began 11 days ago.