Peggy Dick, 78; TV Writer of Shows Such as ‘Dennis the Menace’

Peggy Chantler Dick, 78, writer of such television shows as “Dennis the Menace” and “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” died Nov. 20 of cardiac failure at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

The native of Philadelphia graduated from Northwestern University and then interned with the writing team of the “Edgar Bergen Radio Comedy Hour.” She worked into production for the Norman Lear Co., and later collaborated with William Cowley to turn the comic strip “Dennis the Menace” into a hit television series. They also created the Shirley Booth series “Hazel.”

Chantler, after working as head writer for the popular series “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” went on to write episodes of “Bewitched” and “The Farmer’s Daughter.”

She married former actor Douglas Dick in 1963, and occasionally worked on writing projects with him.