Stan Hart

Stan Hart (September 12, 1928 – July 27, 2017) was an American comedy writer best known for his decades-long association with *Mad* magazine, where his satirical pieces appeared from the 1960s onward. Born in New York, Hart began his career in television before bringing his sharp, irreverent humor to print. He described the *Mad* approach as tickling readers with a feather while hitting them over the head with a hammer, a philosophy that defined his work. Hart frequently collaborated with fellow writer Larry Siegel; though they wrote separately for the magazine, the pair co-wrote the off-Broadway musical *The Mad Show* and later worked together on *The Carol Burnett Show*, earning multiple Emmy Awards for their television writing. Among his notable contributions to *Mad* were parodies and features in specials such as *Mad Presents Batman* and *Mad Follies*. After retiring from regular writing, Hart volunteered as a writing consultant for Youth Theatre Interactions, Inc., a performing arts school in Westchester County. He passed away in 2017, leaving a legacy as a key humorist who helped shape the magazine’s voice during its golden age.