He was born in
Rego Park, Queens in
New York. His father was a dentist who invented Firmadent, a type of toothbrush.[2] Predominantly working as a comedy writer, Gewirtz's first writing credit was for Busting Loose in 1977.[3] Three years later, he penned the Three's Company episode "Mighty Mouth."[4] Gewirtz wrote episodes of Taxi (also functioning as a producer)[5] and Bosom Buddies during the 1980s.[6] He received a
Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his work on the former.[7]
Gewirtz wrote the premiere episode of the short-lived sitcom Domestic Life, which reviewer
Tom Shales found to be "moderately endearing" but lacking in humor.[8] He served as an executive producer of Down and Out in Beverly Hills in 1987,[9] a sitcom for the fledgling
Fox network based on the
1986 film of the same name.[10] Like Domestic Life, it was cancelled after one season.
In the late 1990s, Gewirtz executive produced Jenny, a sitcom starring
Jenny McCarthy.[12] After working on Just Shoot Me!,[13] Gewirtz created the Fox sitcom Oliver Beene, which ran from 2003 to 2004. He based several of the characters on family members,[14] while the title character was modeled after his childhood self.[15] The series received negative reviews from television critics.[2][16]