Chuck Lorre

Arguably one of the most successful forces in television comedy of the late 20th and early 21st century, Chuck Lorre was the creative force behind such astonishingly popular sitcoms as "Two and a Half Men" (CBS, 2003-15), "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007- ), "Dharma and Greg" (ABC, 1997-2002) and "Cybill" (CBS, 1995-98). Nothing in Lorre's early career - which included unremarkable stints as a musician-songwriter and cartoon scriptwriter - indicated that he would develop such an innate understanding of the sitcom format, but after working his way up from writer to producer on "Roseanne" (ABC, 1988-1997), he created a string of award-winning comedies, including "Grace Under Fire" (ABC, 1993-98), "Cybill," and "Dharma and Greg," each of which hinged on headstrong women as their focal points. Despite the success of these shows, Lorre also gained a reputation for clashing with his leads, including Brett Butler and Cybill Shepherd; when he returned to sitcoms in 2003, he was working on male-dominated shows like "Men" and "Big Bang." The latter two proved to be his most popular efforts, netting huge audience shares for their broad and often scatological humor, despite critical disapproval. Brickbats and personal issues aside, Lorre's television track record made him one of the most accomplished TV creators working in the medium.