Gil Grant's life journey began in Tucson, Arizona, where he took his first breath. His academic journey commenced after graduating from Rincon High School, as he enrolled at the University of Arizona, concurrently working full-time at KVOA-TV as a camera operator. This dual pursuit allowed him to hone his skills, eventually transitioning into directing the evening news broadcast. Gil's academic endeavors culminated in him earning a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. Subsequent to his graduation, he secured a position at KPNX-TV in Phoenix, previously known as KTAR, where he divided his time between crafting and directing commercials during the day and writing screenplays in the evening. It was during this period that he achieved a significant breakthrough in his career, as he successfully sold a script to a new NBC sitcom, titled OPERATION PETTICOAT. This television series, inspired by a Cary Grant and Tony Curtis film about a pink submarine during World War II, featured an impressive cast, including John Astin and a young Jamie Lee Curtis, who made one of her earliest on-screen appearances.
