Duane Poole was a highly respected veteran television and theater writer and producer who worked continuously in those industries for half a century. He specialized in Hallmark Christmas movies. Poole was born on Sep. 15, 1948, in Prescott, Arizona, and sadly passed away on April 1, 2023, in Studio City, California.
As Variety reported, Poole was clearly destined to work in showbusiness from a young age, as he was awarded first runner-up in the Gerber Baby Photo Search soon after he was born. He was a member of the advisory board for the Musical Theatre Guild and a member of the Writers Guild.
Poole’s writing credits include the television shows Smurfs, Hart to Hart, Alvin & the Chipmunks, The Biskitts, and Lottery!, and the television movies A Christmas Memory (1997), Angel in the Family (2004), Royally Ever After (2018), Sugar Plum Christmas (2021), and Holiday Hotline (2023). His production credits include the television shows The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, Laverne & Shirley in the Army, Glitter, and The Love Boat, and the television movies Mr. and Mrs. Ryan (1986), Sunstroke (1992), One Christmas (1994), Beauty’s Revenge (1995), and A Christmas Wedding Tail (2011). He was writing a new musical with Amanda McBroom and Michele Brourman at the time of his passing.
But how did he die?
How did Duane Poole die?
As reported in the aforementioned Variety article, Duane Poole died of cancer. The precise form of the disease that took his life has not been specified, but it’s believed he’s been fighting it for some time (his Instagram and X accounts have been quiet for a while).
Poole is survived by several members of his loving family, which includes his husband, Frank Bonventre; his father-in-law, Anthony Bonventre; his in-laws, Virginia Bonventre Cappelli, Patricia Bonventre and David Cappelli Sr.; and many nieces and nephews.
May Duane Poole rest in peace.