'This Old House,' 'Victory Garden' Creator Russ Morash Dies At 88

LEXINGTON, MA — Lexington native and longtime GBH producer Russ Morash died last week at 88, leaving behind a legacy of television shows that helped create the reality television genre.

Beginning in the 1950s, Morash helped create GBH shows including "The Victory Garden" and "The French Chef with Julia Child." But Morash's biggest contribution to television was likely "This Old House," a show that took viewers inside the home renovation process, from demolition to plumbing and landscaping.

Debuting in 1979 focusing on a renovation project in Dorchester, "This Old House" ran for more than 20 years on GBH, introducing the nation to home renovation gurus like Norm Abram, Richard Trethewey, Bob Vila and Tom Silva. Morash also helped create the Abram woodworking spinoff "The New Yankee Workshop," and "Ask This Old House."

Morash won 14 Emmy Awards during his career, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and was a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was a graduate of Boston University.

"Through his work, Russ changed how people interacted with television, increasing the connection between the audience and the programming. His commitment to innovation and to the audience defines our work to this day," GBH president and CEO Susan Goldberg said Monday.

Morash's shows helped create a new industry based around the do-it-yourself ethos, likely bearing countless home chefs, master gardeners and weekend carpenters — and media giants like HGTV.

"Who could have imagined that the home improvement television idea would develop into an entire industry,” Morash said, according to This Old House. "But given the fact that a person’s home is likely his or her most valuable asset, it may explain why so many viewers still depend on This Old House."