Ari Stidham

All his varied but rigorously focused decisions added up to full and constant focus on his life with Julie. Nothing was allowed to get in the way of their love, celebrated day in and day out - that was the deal, honest. And it was gorgeous to see. Bless them.

But here's the thing. Julie, of course, continued to work but Dave never went back, never gave it a thought. He'd do favors for free...helped me, just like the old days, bring some movies to the finish line, not as a job, but as friends hanging out, closing the door on the system

So he retired at a really young age, He loved and married Julie Kavner and then they lived their lives deliciously; seasons split between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and a lake in Michigan. He was a great and cool father to Samantha and Abby, granddad to their kids. more

Early in Taxi he made a decision that no one else in my knowledge ever made - even as the show was being celebrated that first season Dave said goodbye. It was a jolt to me, I couldn't understand it. He did love the work but nowhere near how he loved the notion of a free life .

David Davis was given peace on Friday. He was the first person in television to encourage me. He did the same for countless other writers he mentored during his life, He was beautifully talented, a key producer/writer of Mary Tyler Moore, Taxi, and his own Bob Newheart show.