'Pirates of the Caribbean' Screenwriter Dead At 79: Writer Jay Wolpert's Cause of Death Heartbreaking
Jay Wolpert, a producer whose brainchild includes "The Price is Right," has died. He was 79.
His family confirmed the passing of Wolpert in a statement to different news outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter. Wolpert's longtime manager also confirmed the news in a separate announcement through The Wrap.
The famous producer reportedly died on Monday in Los Angeles after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
It remains unknown when he started suffering from the dreaded illness' complications, but Wolpert's death immediately caused massive heartbreak to the viewers who have been watching the shows he made.
One wrote, "Thank you for adding a fantastic sense of humor and quirkiness to the world of game shows. May we all aspire to bring that creativity to our work and lives every day..."
"Sad to hear of the passing of Jay Wolpert, the 1969 #Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner. He became a writer/producer on such diverse projects as The Price is Right, Double Dare (with Alex Trebek!), and Pirates of the Caribbean. From what I know he was a smart and kind man," another added.
Jay Wolpert's Legacy Revisited
Wolpert first found his interest in game shows when he won a "Jeopardy!" championship in the 1960s. The experience reportedly pushed him to have a career in TV game shows.
Under Goodman-Todman productions, he became the first producer of "The Price is Right" in 1972 and managed to retain his role until 1978. While working on the Bob Barker-hosted show, he created "Double Dare" in 1976, which was originally hosted by Alex Trebek.
He then expanded his connection by launching his Jay Wolpert Productions, giving birth to more daytime game shows like "Whew!," "Hit Man," and "Blackout."
Aside from producing shows, he found his luck in writing several series. Wolpert famously penned the whole series and episodes of "Into the Night with Rick Dees," "Noel's House Party," and "Lazarus Man."
Despite finding his new life in another industry, he chose to return to the game show industry and marked his comeback by producing the 1994 "The New Price is Right" before working as the executive producer of "Wait 'Til You Have Kids," "Shopping Spree," and "Match Game."
Wolpert gained more attention when he was selected to write the story of the "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which immediately made it a multi-dollar franchise.
