Joyce Burditt

Joyce Burditt (September 12, 1938 – June 2, 2022), also known as Joyce Rebeta-Burditt, was an American writer and network executive. She was known for creating the TV series Diagnosis: Murder.[1][2] She was also a longtime writer and producer on such TV series as Perry Mason, Matlock, and the Father Dowling Mysteries.[3] She wrote a best selling novel, The Cracker Factory, in 1977, about an alcoholic housewife, partly drawn from her own experiences.[4][5]

Joyce Burditt
A young white woman with short dark hair styled in long side-swept bangs; she has striking light-colored eyes
Joyce Burditt, from the jacket of a 1977 edition of The Cracker Factory
BornJoyce Ellen Rebeta
September 12, 1938
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJune 2, 2022 (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationWriter and network executive
Notable worksDiagnosis: Murder, Perry Mason, Matlock, The Cracker Factory
Spouse
​
(m. 1957)​
Children3, including Jack Burditt

Early life and education

Joyce Ellen Rebeta was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Paul John Rebeta and Coletta Ellen Rebeta (later Supp). Both of her parents were also born in Cleveland. After moving to Southern California in 1969, she took classes at Los Angeles Valley Junior College.[6]

Career

Burditt was known for creating the TV series Diagnosis: Murder,[1][2] which ran for almost 200 episodes and TV movies. She was also a longtime writer and producer on such TV series as Perry Mason, Matlock, and the Father Dowling Mysteries.[3] Burditt was a programming executive for comedy at ABC, serving as a liaison between the network and sitcom productions including Barney Miller and Soap.[6] Her last television writing credit was on seven episodes of Mystery Woman (2005–2006), a series of films for the Hallmark Channel, starring Kellie Martin.

She wrote a best selling novel, The Cracker Factory, in 1977, about an alcoholic housewife, which is partly drawn from her own experiences with alcoholism and institutionalization.[4][5][6] It was made into an American TV movie of the same name.[7] This was followed by the sequel, The Cracker Factory 2: Welcome to Women's Group, in 2010. She wrote the humorous novel Triplets, in 1981, and the mystery novel Buck Naked, about a Los Angeles detective heroine, in 1996.[8]

Publications
  • The Cracker Factory (1977)[9]
  • Triplets (1981)[10]
  • Buck Naked (1996)[11]
  • The Cracker Factory 2: Welcome to the Women's Group (2010)

Personal life

Rebeta married the writer George Burditt in 1957 and had three children. They later divorced.[8][12][13] Her son Jack Burditt became a screenwriter. On June 2, 2022, she died in Los Angeles.[14] Her grave is in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills.

References
  1. Scott, Tony (1993-10-28). "Diagnosis Murder Miracle Cure". Variety. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  2. Wohl, Alexander (1998-02-08). "TELEVISION; One Senior Sleuth Slips Into the Slot Left by Another". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  3. Bock, Jerry (December 29, 1990). "Joyce Burditt spends days plotting murders". Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Newspapers.com. p. 45. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  4. Ballantyne, Sheila (April 17, 1977). "The Cracker Factory". The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  5. "A typical suburban woman—almost". The Daily Herald from Arlington Heights, Illinois on Newspapers.com. May 21, 1977. p. 57. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  6. Zyda, Joan (1977-08-07). "Bits of Wisdom from Burditt's 'Cracker Factory'". Chicago Tribune. p. 116. Retrieved 2022-12-28 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Martin, Mick; Porter, Marsha (2000). Video Movie Guide 2001. Ballantine Books. pp. 228. ISBN 9780345420992.
  8. Biederman, Patricia Ward (1996-06-20). "Writer Finding Elusive Secret to Success". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  9. Rebeta-Burditt, Joyce (1977). The cracker factory. Internet Archive. New York : Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-02-601250-8.
  10. Rebeta-Burditt, Joyce (1981). Triplets. Internet Archive. New York, N.Y. : Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence. ISBN 978-0-440-08943-8.
  11. Joyce Rebeta-Burditt (1996). Buck naked. Internet Archive. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-40136-6.
  12. "Joyce Rebeta-Burditt Knows Why Housewives Become Alcoholics: She's Been Through the Ordeal". People.com. People. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  13. Rice, Wandalyn (1977-05-21). "A typical suburban woman--almost". The Daily Herald. p. 57. Retrieved 2022-12-28 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Rice, Lynette (June 14, 2022). "Joyce Rebeta-Burditt Dies; 'Diagnosis Murder' Creator was 83". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
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