Bill Lawrence

In the fickle world of network television, having one of your shows turn out as a hit is difficult enough. But striking ratings gold thrice, as was the case of writer/producer Bill Lawrence, is a downright anomaly. A sitcom writer by trade, Lawrence burst onto the TV landscape in the early 1990s, writing for shows like "Boy Meets World" (ABC 1993-2000), "The Nanny" (CBS 1993-99), and "Friends" (NBC 1994-2004) before creating his first sitcom hit in 1996 with "Spin City" (ABC 1996-2002). The show, which starred Michael J. Fox as an assistant to the Mayor of New York City, was a smash success, and by 2001, Lawrence had the leverage to pitch his idea for a comedy about employees at a hospital to NBC. That show, "Scrubs" (NBC/ABC 2001-10) was also a hit, running for a total of nine seasons and 182 episodes. In 2009 Lawrence created "Cougar Town," (ABC/TBS 2009-15) which proved to be his third successful sitcom in 15 years. He may not be a household name, but his shows entertained millions of viewers over the course of two decades, making Bill Lawrence one of the most popular TV writer/producers of his generation.