Wilford Lloyd Baumes has sadly passed away at the age of 86. He was best known as the creator of The Love Boat. According to Wilford's obituary, he passed away peacefully on June 28.
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"Wilford Lloyd "Bud" Baumes, of Cincinnati and formerly Santa Barbara, California, passed away peacefully on the morning of June 28th, 2026 at the age of 86," The obiturary said. "He was raised in Amberley Village by his late parents, Dr. Ogden Hayward "Bud" Baumes and Dorothy Hudson Baumes. Beloved brother to his late brother, John Ross Baumes; late brother and sister-in-law, Dr. H. "Hudson" (Myra) Baumes."
The obituary also shared some of Wilford's background, including his accomplishments in the entertainment industry.
"Bud graduated from Walnut Hills High School. He completed his undergraduate degree at Dennison University and, later, earned a master's in design from the University of California, Berkeley," the obituary continued. "Bud served in the U.S. Navy and built a fascinating career in the entertainment industry as a screenwriter and producer. Some of his accomplishments included the development of The Love Boat series and Wonder Woman."
Wilford Baumes Was the Producer for 13 Shows During His Career
Throughout his career, Wilford worked as a producer on 13 different projects, ranging from TV shows to made-for-TV movies.
His first role came as an executive producer in 1972, where he worked on the Call Her Mom TV Movie. Later that year, Wilford also worked on Call Holme, where he was the producer.
Wilford then continued to work as a producer for the next five years. However, his big break as a producer came in 1976, when he began producing Wonder Woman. He oversaw 19 episodes in total.
Of course, Wilford also operated as a writer, with a 250-episode run of The Love Boat being his most successful work. He also wrote QB VII in 1974, a two-episode mini-series.
Currently, there's no information regarding what led to Wilford's death. However, it has been announced that a "private family gathering will take place at a later time at their family's cherished home on Burt Lake in Northern Michigan," per his obituary.
Therefore, his family will undoubtedly appreciate their privacy being respected at this time.
