Career
He has written for television, film, and is a longtime writer for Mad Magazine. Among his hundreds of Mad bylines, Kogen has written more than 100 film or television parodies. Born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York to Jewish parents, Kogen contributed to Mad soon after college at New York University.
He wrote for many of the top stand-up comics of that time including Don Adams, Morty Gunty, and January Murray.
He moved on to writing for Candid Camera, The Les Crane Show, The Jackie Gleason Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1965 he co-wrote the feature film Birds Do lieutenant, starring Soupy Sales.
He moved to California with his family in 1968. Kogen has written comedy material for many entertainers including Steve and Eydie, Totie Fields, Flip Wilson, Jackie Vernon, Sammy Davis, Junior., Debbie Reynolds, Connie Stevens and Shelley Berman.
