Steven Dorfman, 48; Veteran Writer on ‘Jeopardy!’
Steven Dorfman, 48, the longest-serving writer for the television game show “Jeopardy!,” died Sunday in Los Angeles of complications from cancer.
A native of Detroit, Dorfman graduated from Wayne State University before moving to Los Angeles.
A man of many talents and quirks, Dorfman worked on “Jeopardy!” from the show’s return to the airwaves in 1984 and once estimated that he had written more than 50,000 questions. A previous incarnation of the show ran in the 1960s and ‘70s.
According to the show’s website, the categories Dorfman created for “Jeopardy!” included “Nuclear Physics,” “Crossword Clues” and “Stupid Answers.”
“Steven was one of the first writers I hired for ‘Jeopardy!,’ ” said host Alex Trebek, who was also producing the show in the early years.
“For the past 20 years, he has been our most imaginative and prolific writer. The show will miss him greatly, and on a personal level, I will too.”
According to a press release from the show, Dorfman won six Emmy awards for outstanding writing.
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