Steve Marshall's illustrious career in the entertainment industry began in radio, where he served as program director for Los Angeles-based KNX/FM throughout the majority of the 1970s. Notably, he is credited with conceiving the concept of radio's first soft rock format, a pioneering achievement in the medium.
As the decade drew to a close, Marshall's aspirations shifted towards television, and he penned a spec script for the popular series WKRP in Cincinnati. In a rare and unexpected move, the show's producers acquired the script and subsequently hired Marshall as a staff writer and story editor. He remained with the series, ascending to the role of producer, until its conclusion in 1982.
During his tenure on WKRP, Marshall collaborated with writer Dan Guntzelman, a partnership that would prove fruitful in the years to come. The duo co-created the All in the Family spin-off, Gloria, starring Sally Struthers and Burgess Meredith, and also executive produced the short-lived sitcom Off the Rack, which aired on ABC's Friday night schedule.
Following their work on WKRP, Marshall and Guntzelman were approached to serve as show-runners for ABC's new comedy series, Growing Pains. They held this position for six consecutive seasons, during which time they co-created the spin-off series Just the Ten of Us, starring comedian Bill Kirchenbauer.
After departing Growing Pains, the two writers went their separate ways, but reunited briefly when the UPN network picked up a pilot they had written eleven years earlier, titled Live Shot. The series ran for a single season on UPN. Additionally, Marshall and Guntzelman co-wrote numerous screenplays together, including Revenge of the Nerds II, Nerds in Paradise.
