TV variety show Texaco Star Theater. As a writer for Car 54, Where Are You? and The Phil Silvers Show, he exhibited a comic flair, and his capacity for spoofing such entities as the United States Army, the U.S. government, and police forces was exceptional. TV historians attest to Hiken's talent to create zany but lovable characters and also to his ability to draw strong comedic performances from such unlikely celebrities as boxer Rocky Graziano on NBC's sitcom The Martha Raye Show. As a producer, Hiken also had an eye for spotting new talent. He is credited with discovering, and advancing the TV careers of, such future stars as Fred Gwynne (1955), Alan Alda (1958)—both made their TV debuts on The Phil Silvers Show—and Dick Van Dyke (1958). A television pioneer, Hiken worked with Mel Brooks and Woody Allen throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. Hiken won eight Emmy Awards and wrote material for Milton Berle, Bette Davis, Carol Burnett, and Lucille Ball. Larry David, in DVD extras to season 1 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, has spoken about his love of the Bilko series. Hiken also displayed his musical talent by working with composers George Bassman and Gordon Jenkins on music and theme songs for TV series, and among the songs Hiken himself wrote and composed are "Close to Me", "Irving", and "Fugitive from Fifth Avenue". He also wrote and composed the theme song and music for the TV series, Car 54, Where Are You? Hiken's career, talents, and contributions to the early years of commercial radio and TV are documented in the book King of the Half Hour: Nat Hiken and the Golden Age of TV Comedy, written by David Everitt and published by Syracuse University Press in 2001. Death Throughout Hiken's career, he was known for relentless hard work and perfectionism on his shows and his unwillingness to cede control. He handled most aspects of Bilko and Car 54 himself. The stress of his schedule, writing, production and dealing with the foibles of certain actors on each show, combined with a poor diet and heavy smoking, ultimately undermined his physical health. Hiken died of a heart attack on December 7, 1968, in Brentwood, California, at the age of 54. His last project was the Don Knotts comedy The Love God?, released the year following Hiken's death. Family Nat Hiken was the cousin of film and stage actor Gerald