Carl Gottlieb: Movies & Box Office

Carl Gottlieb is an American screenwriter, actor, comedian, and executive whose career spans more than five decades, beginning in the mid‑1960s and continuing to the present day. Born on March 18, 1938, in New York City to a middle‑class Jewish family, Gottlieb cultivated an early love of performance at Syracuse University, where he studied drama and formed lasting friendships that would later influence his comedic sensibilities. After serving as an entertainment specialist in the U.S. Army’s Special Services division from 1961 to 1963, he joined the pioneering San Francisco improv troupe The Committee, helping to shape a generation of sketch comedy and even appearing in their feature film A Session with the Committee. His transition to television was marked by prolific writing credits for landmark shows such as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour—earning him an Emmy in 1969—The Music Scene, The Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family, and The Odd Couple. In addition to his writing, Gottlieb made occasional on‑camera appearances, most notably on Ken Berry’s Wow Show and in minor roles in films like Robert Altman’s MASH* and the cult classic Clueless.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy is his work on the iconic shark thriller Jaws, where he was initially cast as Harry Meadows before Steven Spielberg asked him to re‑write the script, infusing the narrative with sharper character depth and humor. His contributions extended to the sequels Jaws 2 and Jaws 3‑D, as well as to the comedy The Jerk, where he also performed as Iron Balls McGinty. Beyond screenwriting, Gottlieb co‑authored two autobiographies for musician David Crosby and has remained an active voice in Writers Guild politics, serving multiple terms as vice‑president and later as secretary‑treasurer for the WGA‑West. His memoir, The Jaws Log, offers an insider’s perspective on the notoriously arduous production of the 1975 blockbuster, cementing his reputation as both a creative force and a historian of Hollywood’s golden moments.