Biography
Andy Cowan is an American television writer, script consultant, producer and performer. He began his Hollywood career in the 1980s as a segment producer, writer and recurring performer on The Merv Griffin Show, where he pre-interviewed numerous figures including Jerry Seinfeld. He holds a master's degree in broadcasting from Boston University and earlier worked in radio and television news in Pennsylvania.
Cowan's writing credits include three episodes of Cheers (1985–1987), 23 episodes of Seinfeld (1994–1995, as writer and programme consultant), during which he wrote the episode 'The Opposite', and 16 episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun (1995–1996, as writer and executive story consultant). He is the only writer associated with all three series. He has also written pilots, hosted shows and contributed humour pieces to publications including the Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker.
In 2013 the Writers Guild of America recognised him as a writer on two of its 101 Best Written TV Series (Cheers and Seinfeld). He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who's Who in America in 2017. His memoir Banging My Head Against the Wall: A Comedy Writer's Guide to Seeing Stars, with a foreword by Jay Leno, was published in 2018.
