Jim Geoghan, Co-Creator of ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,’ Dies at 79
Jim Geoghan, the co-creator of Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, has died. He was 79.
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Geoghan’s daughter, Genevieve Geoghan, confirmed his death to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death was made immediately available.
He co-created the Cole and Dylan Sprouse-led sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody alongside Danny Kallis in 2005. The series ran for three seasons until 2008, spotlighting the Sprouses as the Martin twins living in the Tipton Hotel with their single mother. The show also starred Ashley Tisdale, Brenda Song, Phil Lewis and Kim Rhodes.
Cole Sprouse told THR in a statement, “Jim was a wonderful person and wonderful leader on set. A positive light every time he walked onto the stage and someone who navigated leadership with optimism and levity. An integral part of all of our lives for the eight years I had the pleasure of being in his. He’ll be missed dearly.”
Geoghan earned two Emmy nominations for his work on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
The Suite Life continued with the spinoff The Suite Life on Deck, which also starred the Sprouse twins, Song, Lewis and Debby Ryan. Geoghan co-created the franchise extension with Pamela Eells and Danny Kallis, as the characters from the original boarded a semester-at-sea program on the S.S. Tipton. He also wrote the 2011 Disney Channel movie The Suite Life Movie.
Geoghan produced and wrote for a number of other television shows. He worked on Family Matters from 1991 to 1998, working his way up from a producer to co-executive producer. He also served as the supervising producer of Boys Will Be Boys (1987-88) and Amen (1990-91).
On the writing side, he lent his talents to The Facts of Life, Silver Spoons, Mama’s Family, NFL Rush Zone and Smartphone Theatre, among other projects.
Geoghan also wrote plays, including the off-Broadway production of Only Kidding, Light Sensitive and Two Gentlemen of Corona.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Sept. 8, 5:25 p.m. Updated with Cole Sprouse’s statement.
