Billy Van Zandt Releases New Book,
Chronicling Years of Sitcom Writing
16 JUNE 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY LORI DRAZ
B
connect him to his boyhood Middletown home. He established an
enviable and enduring career as a comedy writer for network televi-
director. He is also the author of the new book, “Get in the Car, Jane! Adventures
in the TV Wasteland,” released this month. This rollicking read is
the behind-the-scenes memoir of this Emmy-nominated writer/producer’s
years making America’s favorite (and not so favorite) sitcoms. It’s page
Lucille Ball, Brooke Shields, Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Martin Lawrence,
Andrew Dice Clay, Richard Lewis, Bob Newhart, Jamie Lee Curtis, the Way-
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thy Lamour, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch, Rosie O’Donnell, Oscar-winner
Olympia Dukakis, Penny Marshall and Matthew Perry. It’s part gossip
and part an insightful guide to writing and producing sitcoms.
partner Jane Milmore, of Rumson, right by his side.
most often-produced playwrights in the world. Their partnership began
at a high school drama competition at the old Barn Theater in Rumson.
who makes you laugh – a lot.
Those are the stories you’ll read in “Get in the Car, Jane!” The team
has produced more than 300 hours of comedy, including “Newhart;”
“Martin,” which won them a People’s Choice Award and two NAACP Image
Awards; “The Hughleys;” “Suddenly Susan” with Brooke Shields;
“The Wayans Bros.;” and “I Love Lucy: The Very First Show” which won
them an Emmy nomination, just to name a few.
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duced and chose the stories that got the biggest laughs at dinner parties
for this book.
He grew up loving Lucy and the Marx Brothers.
“As I got older, I discovered Buster Keaton,” he said. “Throw in Chaplin,
Laurel and Hardy, Woody Allen,
Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, and a
little Jerry Lewis, and you’ll get
a fuller picture of where I came
from.”
He and Milmore began their
television careers without a clue
or a connection.
“But Jane and I always fearlessly
jumped into new things,”
he said. “Same way we wrote our
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New York City – either too naïve,
too dumb or too pigheaded to
think we’d ever fail.”
just fun. And I haven’t a clue what I’d do if I ever stopped.”
He added, “Soon as I’m able to travel, I’ll be back to Monmouth
County to see my sister, and my old friends (including about a dozen
I’ve known since kindergarten) and visit some of my favorite haunts like
Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, The Pour House, and Ryan’s Homemade
Ice Cream. Their lemon ice cream is my favorite!”
Jennifer, for a memorial service for his beloved partner.
“It’s very surreal to be without her,” he said. “I never thought we’d
cancer. Reading these stories brings back the wonderful memories and
the laughter, which was the biggest part of our relationship. I’m sure
that you will laugh too.”
“Get in the Car, Jane! Adventures in the TV Wasteland” is available
on Amazon and in a few local area booksellers. Circumstances permit-
Jersey, so visit VanZandtMilmore.com to keep in the loop.
Billy Van Zandt
/TheJournalNJ.com
/VanZandtMilmore.com