By Vince Horiuchi
The Salt Lake Tribune
May 31, 2003

Ernest Ferrin Wallengren, a former Utahn whose television writing credits in Hollywood ranged from family fare like "The Waltons" and "Touched by an Angel" to the surf and swimsuits of "Baywatch," died Tuesday from Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 50.

Wallengren was born Dec. 15, 1952 in Heber City, to a family who owned the Homestead resort in nearby Midway. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Central America in 1974 and attended the University of Utah, but moved to Los Angeles with his family so his mother, also a television writer, could pursue her career.

After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in communication, Wallengren got a staff writing job for the family drama "The Waltons," a show his mother worked on, too.

"He called up the creator on his own and got a meeting with him and pitched him a story, and [show creator Earl] Hamner hired him," said Wallengren's brother, Mark Wallengren. "Ernie loved writing the family shows, and his proudest is starting with 'The Waltons.' "

Wallengren subsequently wrote for many television series, including "Little House on the Prairie," "Eight Is Enough," the primetime soap opera "Falcon Crest," "Knight Rider," "Diagnosis Murder" and the reincarnation of "Flipper."

The last show he worked on was the PAX drama "Doc," starring Billy Ray Cyrus.

Wallengren also was an executive producer and writer for the first season of "Baywatch," the syndicated hit about a group of well-endowed beach lifeguards. But he bailed from the series early on.

"He thought the show was too T&A and was too trashy and didn't feel comfortable writing it sometimes," said Mark, a Los Angeles morning radio DJ.

Wallengren first experienced the symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, in October 2000. Eventually, it left him a quadriplegic.

Wallengren wrote about the disease, which attacks nerve cells in the brain, for one episode of "Doc," about a country doctor in New York. He was honored for that episode with the National Courage Award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

"He had a very blessed life and was just so unbelievably positive to the end," said his brother.

Wallengren is survived by his wife, Cheryl; two daughters and three sons; his father Del in Salt Lake City; mother Claire in Calabasas, Calif.; and five brothers and sisters.

Services are Saturday at the Canoga Park LDS Stake Center in Canoga Park, Calif. Burial will be at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village, Calif.

© Copyright 2003, The Salt Lake Tribune.