Jay Sommers was a producer, director and comedy writer whose career spanned four decades. He was born on January 3, 1917 in New York, New York, and died on September 25, 1985 in Los Angeles, California. He wrote more than 90 television comedy episodes, produced 63, and had a major responsibility for creating the Green Acres television show. He also did limited work on Petticoat Junction and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

In 1940, he got a break by being brought in to write for a Milton Berle radio show. (Berle at the time was one of the most popular radio personalities.) He wrote for Eddie Cantor and Red Skelton on the radio, and for the radio comedy series Lum and Abner.

In 1950, he was the producer, writer and director for the Granby’s Green Acres radio show. Although it only ran for two months, it was highly similar to the highly successful Green Acres television show that he created 15 years later, where he was the main producer and writer.