Peter K. Hirsch

Peter K. Hirsch is the head writer on Arthur. He was a staff writer for the first four seasons of Arthur and took over as head writer after Joe Fallon and Ken Scarborough left the production crew. He is perhaps the program's most prolific writer, having written 115 episodes in total thus far, as well as writing episodes for every season of the program, except for season 23. He also wrote lyrics for some songs in the special Arthur's Perfect Christmas. Some of his other writing credits include Martha Speaks, Curious George and Time Warp Trio.

Appearances on Arthur

Confirmed

• Mayor Hirsch is named after him.
• He appears in person as one of the two people who tell Arthur, Buster, and Bo that their car has been towed in the episode "Postcards from Buster."
• Dr. Hirsch and Reverend Peterhirsh are also named after him.

Speculated

• The name 'Peter' appears on a paper on the bulletin board behind Arthur in "Arthur's Big Hit" right after Binky walks into Mr. Ratburn's classroom.

Peter Hirsch (top right) at the 2000 Peabody Awards

Trivia

• Hirsch would commonly tell new writers coming on board Arthur not to talk down to children when scripting episodes but to instead, "write from your own experiences—things that would disturb, inspire or engage you..."
• In 2000, Hirsch, as well some other Arthur production members including Carol Greenwald, Greg Bailey, and Marc Brown were present at the Peabody Awards after an episode won the award.
• His wife Cusi Cram is also a writer on the show.

Writing credits

Arthur

• 107b. "Buster Makes the Grade"
• 113a. "So Long, Spanky"
• 116a. "Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest"
• 116b. "D.W. Flips" (adapted from the original story by Marc Brown)
• 202b. "Arthur's Lucky Pencil"
• 203b. "Buster and the Daredevils"
• 204a. "Arthur Makes a Movie"
• 205a. "Arthur's Underwear"
• 207a. "Arthur's TV-Free Week"
• 212b. "Arthur and the Square Dance"
• 213a. "Water and the Brain"
• 214a. "Sue Ellen's Lost Diary"
• 220b. "Sue Ellen's Little Sister"
• 302a. "D.W. All Fired Up"
• 304a. "Background Blues"
• 307a. "Arthur Rides the Bandwagon"
• 309b. "The Return of the King"
• 311a. "Double Tibble Trouble"
• 313a. "Arthur's Dummy Disaster"
• 401a. "D.W.'s Library Card"
• 403a. "Buster's Breathless"
• 408a. "1001 Dads"
• 409a. "What is that Thing?"
• 501b. "Arthur and the Big Riddle"
• 502a. "Kids are from Earth, Parents are from Pluto"
• 505a. "The Lousy Week"
• 505b. "You Are Arthur"
• 508b. "Bitzi's Beau"
• 509a. "Just Desserts"
• 510a. "Arthur's Family Feud"
• 601a. "Sue Ellen Gets Her Goose Cooked"
• 601b. "Best of the Nest"
• 603b. "The Secret Life of Dogs and Babies"
• 605a. "The Boy Who Cried Comet"
• 607a. "The Boy with His Head in the Clouds"
• 608a. "Rhyme for Your Life"
• 701b. "The Great Sock Mystery"
• 704a. "To Tibble the Truth" (with Gerard Lewis)
• 705 "Elwood City Turns 100!" (with Matthew Lane)
• 709a. "Prunella Sees the Light"
• 710 "April 9th"
• 801a. "Dear Adil"
• 801b. "Bitzi's Break-up"
• 805b. "Sue Ellen Chickens Out" (with Peter Egan)
• 806 "Postcards from Buster"
• 810a. "Big Horns George"
• 901a. "Castles in the Sky"
• 902a. "George Blows His Top" (with Courtney Lilly)
• 904a. "Buster's Green Thumb" (idea by Catherine Lieuwen)
• 905a. "Lights, Camera... Opera!"
• 906b. "It Came From Beyond"
• 910b. "Breezy Listening Blues"
• 1001 "Happy Anniversary"
• 1009a. "Do You Speak George?"
• 1101a. "Swept Away"
• 1104a. "Phony Fern"
• 1105a. "Baby Kate and the Imaginary Mystery"
• 1106a. "The Making of Arthur"
• 1107b. "Mr. Alwaysright"
• 1109b. "Spoiled Rotten" (with Wolfram Breuer)
• 1202a. "Room to Ride" (with Ken Olshanksky and Martha Atwater)
• 1202b. "The Frensky Family Fiasco"
• 1208b. "Mei Lin Takes a Stand"
• 1209a. "Home Sweet Home"
• 1301 "The Great MacGrady" (with Leah Ryan)
• 1303a. "Arthur's Number Nightmare"
• 1306a. "When Carl Met George"
• 1307a. "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Tibble"
• 1309b. "The Pride of Lakewood"
• 1404a. "Falafelosophy" (with David Steven Cohen)
• 1404b. "The Great Lint Rush"
• 1406a. "Follow the Bouncing Ball"
• 1406b. "Buster Baxter & the Letter from the Sea" (with Mathayu Warren Lane)
• 1409a. "D.W., Queen of the Comeback"
• 1410b. "The Long Road Home"
• 1503a. "Buster's Secret Admirer" (with Allan Neuwirth)
• 1507a. "Prunella the Packrat" (with Guy Lancaster)
• 1601 "Based on a True Story"
• 1605b. "Read and Flumberghast"
• 1606a. "The Last Tough Customer" (with P. Kevin Strader)
• 1606b. "Brain's Chess Mess"
• 1610a. "So Funny I Forgot to Laugh"
• 1701a. "Show Off"
• 1701b. "Dog's Best Friend" (with Jacqui Deegan)
• 1705b. "Kidonia" (with Tolon Brown)
• 1707a. "Pets and Pests"
• 1707b. "Go Fly a Kite"
• 1708a. "The Director's Cut" (with Elliott Thomson)
• 1708b. "Crime and Consequences"
• 1710b. "Brain Freeze" (with Andy Yerkes)
• 1801b. "D.W. & Bud's Higher Purpose"
• 1802a. "The Friend Who Wasn't There" (with Craig Carlisle)
• 1804a. "Best Wishes" (with Dietrich Smith)
• 1805b. "Arthur Calls It" (with Craig Carlisle)
• 1806a. "Whip. Mix. Blend."
• 1810 "Shelter from the Storm"
• 1901a. "Brain's Brain"
• 1902a. "Sue Ellen Adds It Up" (with Cusi Cram)
• 1905a. "Buster Isn't Buying It"
• 1907a. "Carl's Concerto" (with Eric Shaw)
• 1907b. "Too Much of a Good Thing"
• 1909b. "Besties"
• 1910. "The Last Day"
• 2001b. "Arthur and the Whole Truth"
• 2002a. "Fern's Flights of Fancy"
• 2005a. "Lend Me Your Ear" (with Raye Lankford)
• 2005b. "The Butler Did It"
• 2101a. "Binky's 'A' Game"
• 2102 "The Master Builders"
• 2104b. "Arthur Takes a Stand"
• 2105a. "Slink's Special Talent"
• 2107b. "Pal and the Big Itch"
• 2201a. "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone"
• 2204a. "Muffy's Car Campaign" (with Matt Hoverman)
• 2402 "The Great MacGrady" (with Leah Ryan (uncredited))
• 2504b. "All Grown Up"

Postcards from Buster

• 303 "Buster's Egyptian Adventure"

Specials

• S1 "Arthur's Perfect Christmas" (adapted from Arthur's Christmas by Marc Brown)
• S3 "D.W. and the Beastly Birthday"
• S4 "Arthur and the Haunted Treehouse"

Songwriting Credits

• "Perfect Christmas" (lyrics)
• "What's the Use of Presents?" (lyrics)