Chris Bearde (18 June 1936 – 23 April 2017)[2] was a British-born comedy writer, producer and director best known for his work as a writer on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and for co-writing and producing television specials for Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Sonny & Cher, Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, Andy Williams, The Jackson 5, The Osmonds, Dinah Shore, Diana Ross, and Lucille Ball.

He also created the format for the original Gong Show[3] and a number of network and pay-cable comedy series including That's My Mama and Sherman Oaks.

Bearde's method of combining slapstick and political satire made him a resident writer on the original Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

[citation needed] While working with the producer of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, George Schlatter, Bearde created the formats for specials, including Dinah Shore's Like Hep!

[citation needed] Bearde formed a partnership with ex-CBS president Robert Wood and created pilots and a children's series, The W.A.C.K.O.

[5][6] Bearde formed a co-production partnership with Vin Di Bona, the producer of America's Funniest Home Videos.

He created and produced HBO's cult series satirizing television news Night Rap[2] [dead link‍]and Showtime's comedy hit Sherman Oaks.