TV Veteran Mickey Ross Leaves Gift After Death

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The irony is worthy of an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer.

Michael "Mickey" Ross is on his way to greater renown in death than he enjoyed as a writer, director and producer behind "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," "Three's Company" and other classic sitcoms.

In the latest example of the television veteran's prolific generosity, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles will announce this week that Ross has bequeathed the organization more than $10 million, as well as half of his TV residuals.

The money will establish an endowment fund named for Mickey Ross, who died at age 89 in 2009, and his wife Irene, who died in 2000.

The couple had no children.

"More people will know his name because of this endowment than because of all the years he was a brilliant writer on all of these comedy shows," said Marvin Schotland, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation, which manages and distributes charitable assets.

Schotland said the foundation will make sure beneficiaries know about Mickey Ross' efforts.

"If we all had the ability to fast-forward and look back in 10 years ... hundreds and hundreds - if not thousands and thousands - of Angelenos will have been helped by the charity of Mickey Ross," Schotland said. "How many people can you say that about?"

Ross's bequest is earmarked to assist organizations that provide food, shelter and medical care to the needy, Schotland said.


Among those organizations is the Jewish Family Service's SOVA program, which provides groceries and supportive services to nearly 10,000 people a month from three L.A.-area food banks.

Ross had given money and time to Van Nuys-based SOVA since 2003, most crucially as need for the food bank doubled in the economic recession, said Nancy Volpert, the Jewish Family Service's director of public policy and media relations.

Among Ross' earlier gifts and bequests was $4 million to endow an academic chair in Yiddish language and culture at UCLA, and $10 million to establish a Jewish-studies center at City College of New York.

Born Isadore Rovinsky to immigrant parents in New York, he told interviewers his memories of poverty and the Great Depression fueled his concern for the unfortunate.

After serving as a bomber pilot in World War II, Ross directed comedy shows in the Adirondacks, working with Don Adams, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar, before behind-the-scenes stints on the Martha Raye and Garry Moore TV shows.

As "Martha Raye Show" writers, Ross and comedy partner Bernie West got to know Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin, who created "All in the Family."

Ross would earn credits for 81 "All in the Family" episodes in the 1970s and share a writing Emmy with West and Lee Kalcheim for a 1973 episode called "The Bunkers and the Swingers."

Schotland said he watched Ross' shows but hadn't heard of Ross until the West Hollywood resident approached the Jewish Community Foundation in the early 2000s about managing his estate.

Schotland remembered Ross for his understated humor, gentlemanly manner and curly white hair.

"For those who understand Yiddish, Mickey Ross was a mensch in every aspect of the word," Schotland said. "He was caring, he was a gentleman, he was humble – and he was funny."