Notable TV Producers
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- Producer
- Sound Department
- Production Manager
During the early 1970s QM Productions through its owner Quinn Martin dominated the action adventure television series genre. At one time QM produced more hours of network television programs per week than any other independent production company. Perhaps one of Martin's most lasting contributions to the genre was developing and perfecting the formula for the one hour television drama-- the number of acts (+ the "epilog"), the number of "beats" of action per act and the ability to end the act on a cliffhanger for the commercial break thereby assuring that the audience would stay tuned through the commercial.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
John Randolph Webb was born in Santa Monica, California, to Margaret (Smith) and Samuel Chester Webb. His father left home before he was born; Webb would never know him. He was raised by his mother and maternal grandmother in dire poverty that preceded the Depression. Making things worse, Webb suffered from acute asthma from age six until adulthood, somewhat surprising for a man whose cigarette intake reached three packs a day at its peak. Webb's great love was movies, and his dream was to direct them. He began in radio, first as a disc jockey then as host of a comedy show (Believe It or Not!), finally as "Pat Novak, Private Eye", his first true success. A small role in the film noir classic He Walked by Night (1948) led to the creation of "Dragnet". During production, Webb befriended a LAPD police consultant assigned to the film and became fascinated with the cases he heard told. He successfully pitched the idea of a radio series to NBC using stories drawn from actual LAPD files. "Dragnet" first aired over NBC radio on June 3, 1949, and came to TV (Dragnet (1951)) on December 16, 1951. The show was one of the monster hits of early TV and was honored with satires by comics and even Bugs Bunny (!) during it's run, which lasted until September, 1959. The series' popularity could have ensured its continuation indefinitely but, by then, Webb had become a film director and would helm (and star in) five features: Dragnet (1954), Pete Kelly's Blues (1955), The D.I. (1957), -30- (1959), and The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961). The last two were box office flops, and Webb returned to TV in 1962. In February, 1963, he became Head of Production for Warner Bros. Television, a job he was fired from that December when his revision of 77 Sunset Strip (1958) sent its ratings into a death spiral. After two years of unemployment, a new opportunity arose, the made-for-TV film, of which Universal was then sole supplier. Coincidentally, they owned the rights to Dragnet (1951) and invited Webb to do a new "Dragnet" as a TV movie. It turned out so well in industry previews (oddly not broadcast until 1969) that NBC and Universal persuaded him to do a new Dragnet 1967 (1967) TV series, which lasted three-and-a-half seasons and went on to smash success in syndicated reruns. This later incarnation (co-starring Harry Morgan as "Officer Bill Gannon") is probably what Webb is best known for and unlike the 50's version, it was produced in color and increasingly focused on his personal conservative social agenda. Over the next five seasons, he regularly blasted marijuana, LSD (which was legal at the time of the revamped series debut), hippies, juvenile delinquency and disrespect for law enforcement. To be fair, the series was equally intolerant of police corruption and went to great lengths to show LAPD's self-disciplinary process as it was at the time. Webb was known as an extremely economical TV producer: his Mark VII productions routinely used minimal sets, even more minimal wardrobes (Friday and Gannon seem to wear the same suits over entire seasons, which minimized continuity issues.) and maintained a relatively tight-knit stock company that consisted of scale-paid regulars who routinely appeared as irate crime victims, policewomen, miscreants, and clueless parents of misguided youth. While the passing decades haven't been kind to all of the episodes--- several now seem camp, the manpower expended investigating some seemingly minor crimes is laughable and the outcome of many of the trials would be vastly different today--- they remain entertaining while representing somewhat fictionalized docudramas of 1960's police operations. With renewed wealth and industry status, Webb was also determined not to repeat his past debacle as a producer/studio boss. He parlayed Dragnet's renewed popularity into a second hit series, Adam-12 (1968), and scored an even bigger hit with Emergency! (1972) (casting his ex-wife Julie London and her husband Bobby Troup), a show that inspired thousands of kids to become EMT/paramedics for generations, perhaps Webb's greatest legacy. During the production of Dragnet 1967 (1967), he maintained a rigorous daily work schedule while ignoring his health. He loved chili dogs and cigarettes, enjoyed late nights playing cards and drinking with cast members, who were amazed to find him fully alert at 7:00 a.m. the next day, expecting the same from them. The combined effect of this lifestyle made him appear older than he actually was by the late 60s. Unbeknownst to fans, he possessed a healthy sense of humor (His 1968 "Copper Clapper" appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) remains a classic.), and he was a jazz fanatic, amassing one of the world's greatest collections. Webb's sense of humor didn't extend to his self-image, however. In 1977, director John Landis approached him with an offer to appear as "Dean Wormer" in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and recalled Webb sitting stone-faced and unimpressed at the offer. Sadly, he rejected it as being too counter to his public persona. Webb managed to keep his company solvent until his untimely, yet not unexpected, death from a massive heart attack on December 23, 1982 at age 62. Webb was married four times: to Julie London (1947-54), Dorothy Towne (1955-1957), Jackie Loughery (1958-64), and to Opal Wright (1980-death). He had two daughters by London: Stacey Webb (1950-96) and Lisa Webb (born 1952).- Producer
- Writer
- Production Manager
Norman Lear enjoyed a long career in television and film, political and social activism, and philanthropy.
Born in 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut, Lear flew 52 combat missions over Europe in World War II before beginning his television career. His classic shows of the 1970s and '80s - All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, among others - collectively reached as many as 120 million viewers per week and are said to have transformed the American cultural landscape, bringing the social and political issues of the day into American living rooms for the first time. With the rise of the radical religious right, Lear put his career on hold in 1980 to found People For the American Way, the nonprofit organization that remains a relevant and effective force defending all aspects of the First Amendment.
Lear was among the first seven television pioneers inducted in 1984 into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. In 1999, President Clinton presented him with the National Medal of Arts, noting that "Norman Lear has held up a mirror to American society and changed the way we look at it." His memoir, Even This I Get to Experience, was published in 2014, and the 2016 documentary Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You received an Emmy nomination as the representative program for the PBS American Masters series. In 2017, Lear received a Peabody Lifetime Achievement Award and was a Kennedy Center Honoree.
He was the father of six, the grandfather of four, and the husband of Lyn Davis Lear.- Writer
- Producer
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Gerry Anderson was born on 14 April 1929 in West Hampstead, London, England, UK. He was a writer and producer, known for Joe 90 (1968), Invasion: UFO (1974) and UFO (1970). He was married to Mary Robins, Sylvia Anderson and Betty Wrightman. He died on 26 December 2012 in Henley-on-Thames, England, UK.- Writer
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A graduate of New York's Columbia School of Journalism, Irwin Allen was a magazine editor, the producer/director of a radio show and the owner of an advertising agency before entering film production in the 1950s. His documentary, The Sea Around Us (1953), won an Academy Award. A successful TV series producer (The Time Tunnel (1966), Lost in Space (1965)), Allen was nicknamed "The Master of Disaster" in the 1970s due to the tremendous success of his two special effects-laden epics, The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974).- Producer
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Don Fedderson was born on 16 April 1913 in Beresford, South Dakota, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Date with the Angels (1957), Who Do You Trust? (1956) and Family Affair (1966). He was married to Yvonne Lime and Tido Fedderson. He died on 18 December 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
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While in junior high school, he became interested in science fiction, and years later while reading a copy of 'Astounding Stories' when he was working as an airline pilot, he decided to give it up and become a writer. He moved West and joined the Los Angeles police force to gain experience that would help him toward a writing career in Hollywood. He began selling scripts for television shows such as 'Dragnet' and 'Naked City'. He was head writer on 'Have Gun Will Travel' for two years, winning the 'Writer's Guild Award' for 'Best Script'. He created and produced 'The Lieutenant' followed by 3 years of the 'Star Trek' television series and produced the films 'Pretty Maids All in a Row', the first 'Star Trek' film and was executive consultant on the following two.- Writer
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- Music Department
Paul Henning was born on 16 September 1911 in Independence, Missouri, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), The Bob Cummings Show (1955) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988). He was married to Ruth Henning. He died on 25 March 2005 in Burbank, California, USA.- Producer
- Production Manager
- Writer
Ivan Tors was born on 12 June 1916 in Budapest, Hungary. He was a producer and production manager, known for In the Good Old Summertime (1949), Gog (1954) and Science Fiction Theatre (1955). He was married to Adrienne Ralston Fox (Diana Bennett Wanger) and Constance Dowling. He died on 4 June 1983 in Mato Grosso, Brazil.- Producer
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A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Chuck Fries graduated from Ohio State University, where he also received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. After serving in various production and administrative capacities in the entertainment industry, he became vice-president in charge of production for Screen Gems, the Columbia Pictures Television arm and subsequently became Vice President in charge of feature film produotion/administration for the parent company where he worked with the top producers and directors in the industry. As executive vice president in charge of production for Metromedia Producers Corporation, Fries assumed the production reins and produced and/or supervised some thirty movies for television, nine television series, and five theatrical films. Though in 1974, he founded Alpine Productions. He eventually later become Charles Fries Productions in the November of the year. Fries is considered the "godfather" of the television movie. Known for producing many issue-oriented movies for television, Fries programs include: "Small Sacrifices" starring Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, "The Neon Empire", a three-hour epic saga starring Ray Sharkey, Martin Landau and Gary Busey; "Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean", starring Suzanne Pleshette and Lloyd Bridges; "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury starring Rock Hudson, and "Woman on the Ledge" with Deidre Hall and "Deadly Web" with Gigi Rice and Ed Marinaro. Theatrical motion pictures produced under the Fries banner include Paul Schraeder's The Cat People, a Universal release starring Natassja Kinski, and Malcolm McDowell; Out of Bounds, a Fries production starring Anthony Michael Hall, released by Columbia Pictures; Thrashin' distributed by New Line Cinema Corporation: Flowers in the Attic, a highly successful co-production with New World; and Troop Beverly Hills, starring Sheliy Long and Craig T. Nelson for Weintraub Entertainment- His most recent production, Screamers is a major Sci-Fi film starring Peter Weller. Fries has been and continues to be integrally involved in the entertainment industry at large. At the American Film Institute he is a member of its Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. He established the Charles W. Fries Producer of the Year Award at the institute to encourage quality television programming. Recipients of the award are Dan Curtis, Edgar J. Scherick, Roger Gimbel, Suzanne de Passe and Stan Margulies. The Ava and Charles Fries Foundation also established the Charles W Fries Library at the AFI in Los Angeles. The library is intended to be a collection of groundbreaking, historically significant material and will include scripts. production records and video copies of each film. Fries is currently a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, where he serves as Secretary of the Foundation; the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and he is a member of the Board Of Directors of the Producer's Guild of America. He is also active at the Center Theatre Group through an association with a constituent group, Center Theate Group Affiliates. Fries is a former Chairman, having served for five terms, and presently on sabbatical from the Steering Committee of the Caucus of Producers, Writers and Directors, and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is directly opposite Mann's Chinese Theater.- Writer
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- Actor
John Wilder was born on May 28, 1936 in Tacoma, Washington. He is a writer, producer, and director known for Centennial (1978), The Yellow Rose (1983), Spenser: For Hire (1985), Norman Rockwell's Breaking Home Ties (1987), Return to Lonesome Dove (1993), The Feast of All Saints (2001)., Norman Rockwell's A Way Back Home (2013).- Writer
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Charles Marquis Warren was born on 16 December 1912 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Charles Marquis was a writer and producer, known for Rawhide (1959), Gunsmoke (1955) and Little Big Horn (1951). Charles Marquis was married to MIldred Lindeberg. Charles Marquis died on 11 August 1990 in West Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
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Author, composer, writer and songwriter, educated at Yale University (BA degree). He joined ASCAP in 1961, and wrote the off-Broadway stage scores for "Living the Life" and "All in Love". His chief musical collaborator was Gene de Paul, and his popular-song compositions included "I Found Him" and "What Can It Be?".- Producer
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David Dortort was born on 23 October 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Bonanza (1959), The High Chaparral (1967) and The Lusty Men (1952). He was married to Rose Seldin. He died on 5 September 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
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Herbert B. Leonard was born on 8 October 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Route 66 (1960), The Perils of Pauline (1967) and Going Home (1971). He was married to Jenny P. Cobb, Betty Kennedy and Willetta Leonard. He died on 14 October 2006 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
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David Susskind was born on 19 December 1920 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), Eleanor and Franklin (1976) and Ages of Man (1966). He was married to Joyce Davidson and Phyllis Briskin. He died on 22 February 1987 in New York City, New York, USA.- Writer
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Hugh Wilson was born on 24 August 1943 in Miami, Florida, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Blast from the Past (1999), Frank's Place (1987) and WKRP in Cincinnati (1978). He was married to Charters Smith. He died on 14 January 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.- Producer
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Sheldon Leonard was born in New York City's lower Manhattan, the son of Jewish parents. He studied acting at Syracuse University and, after graduating, landed a job on Wall Street. Following the Wall Street crash of 1929, he found himself unemployed and resolved to become a professional actor on the stage. The road was hard, since it took him five years to first appear on Broadway in "Hotel Alimony" (1934). While this production was universally slammed by the critics, the next plays he appeared in, "Having Wonderful Time" (1937) and "Kiss the Boys Goodbye" (1938), were unqualified successes, the former running for 372 performances.
Movie offers followed, and from 1939 he became one of Hollywood's most recognizable screen tough guys, the names of his characters evocative of the roles he played: Pretty Willie in Tall, Dark and Handsome (1941), Slip Moran in Lucky Jordan (1942), Lippy Harris in Jinx Money (1948), Jumbo Schneider in Money from Home (1953) and, famously, Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls (1955). There was also an assortment of minor henchmen and western heavies named Blackie or Lefty, and he was Nick, the sneering, humorless barkeeper who tosses James Stewart into the snow in It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Having had his fill of acting in those kinds of parts, Leonard began a new career as a television producer in the 1950s and went on to become one of the most successful TV producer/directors of the 1950s and 1960s. Four of his productions (all on CBS)--The Danny Thomas Show (1953), Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964), The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) (which won 21 Emmy Awards) and The Andy Griffith Show (1960)--were rated in the Top Ten. He had a further success with I Spy (1965), championing the cause of racial equality over the (initial) objections of the network by being the first series to have an African-American (Bill Cosby) in an equal co-starring dramatic role with a white actor. Leonard is also regarded as having invented the television spin-off.- Producer
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Norman Felton was born on 29 April 1913 in London, England, UK. He was a producer and director, known for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and Robert Montgomery Presents (1950). He was married to Aline Scotts. He died on 25 June 2012 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.- Producer
- Set Decorator
- Actor
Herbert Brodkin was born on 9 November 1912 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and set decorator, known for Holocaust (1978), The Alcoa Hour (1955) and Goodyear Playhouse (1951). He was married to Patricia M. Brodkin. He died on 29 October 1990 in New York City, New York, USA.- Producer
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William Orr is known to fans of 1950s and 1960s TV shows by the abbreviated but imposing credit of Wm. T. Orr seen at the end of every Warner Bros. show including Maverick (1957), Cheyenne (1955), 77 Sunset Strip (1958) and F Troop (1965). As the head of WB Television for nine years, he was executive producer of the studio's early forays into the medium, helping to put ABC on the prime-time map with a steady staple of westerns and detective shows.
Orr began his career in 1936 as an actor, moving from his native New York to Los Angeles, where the good-looking young actor found work as a second lead opposite such stars as Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, James Stewart and Edward G. Robinson. Orr had one advantage over the other handsome young actors of his era--he could imitate his betters and became known as a deft comic impersonator in the musical stage review "Meet The People", a Saturday Night Live (1975) of its day that mixed political satire and song, hosted by gossip columnist Louella Parsons. During World War II Orr served as an officer in the Army Air Force's First Motion Picture Unit, making training films at the former Hal Roach Studios in Culver City, California, alongside fellow actors Ronald Reagan, William Holden and Alan Ladd.
In 1945 Orr married Warner Bros. studio chief Jack L. Warner's stepdaughter Joy Page, assuring him a good seat at the Hollywood table. A year later be became one of Warner's assistants - one more opportunity for Hollywood wags to apply the old dig (first applied to Louis B. Mayer's son-in-law, David O. Selznick) "the son-in-law also rises." Orr had a nose for new talent, though, and, with a Warner Bros. contract in hand, pursued such unknown actors as James Dean, Paul Newman and Marlon Brando. In 1958 he was put in charge of Warners' fledgling TV division, and this is where he made his mark, having nine shows on the air in the early 1960s. In 1965 he left Warner Bros. in favor of independent production. He retired in the mid-'70s, walking away from the business.- Producer
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Dan Curtis was born on 12 August 1927 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Burnt Offerings (1976), Dark Shadows (1966) and War and Remembrance (1988). He was married to Norma Mae Curtis. He died on 27 March 2006 in Brentwood, California, USA.- Lucy Jarvis was born on 24 June 1917 in New York City, New York, USA. She was a producer and actress, known for The Peking Ballet: First Spectacular from China (1972), The Kremlin (1963) and Christopher Discovers America (1969). She was married to Serge Jarvis. She died on 26 January 2020 in New York City, New York, USA.
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He was also the Creator and Executive Producer for the show "FALCON CREST'' 1981 thru 1988. The show starred Jane Wyman, Lorenzo Lamas, Robert Foxworth, and Susan Sullivan. The show was set in the Napa Valley of California. And centered on the power and intrigues of the families involved in the wine producing industry.- Producer
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George Eckstein was born on 3 May 1928 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for The Fugitive (1963), Love, Sidney (1981) and The Name of the Game (1968). He was married to Selette Cole and Ann Morgan Guilbert. He died on 12 September 2009 in Brentwood, California, USA.- Writer
- Producer
- Production Manager
Roy Huggins was born on 18 July 1914 in Litelle, Washington, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for The Fugitive (1993), City of Angels (1976) and U.S. Marshals (1998). He was married to Adele Mara and Bonnie Marie Porter. He died on 3 April 2002 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Producer
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Ron Moore was a member of the Kappa Alpha literary society during his time at Cornell University. He dropped out of college during his senior year, after which he moved to Los Angeles, California, with a friend in hopes of becoming a working writer. He was two weeks away from joining the United States Navy when Michael Piller, the co-executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), called with good news: his first script, "The Bonding," led to an assignment and a spot on the writing staff in 1989. By the end of the series, he was serving as a producer.
The end of TNG saw numerous accolades come Mr. Moore's way. As a member of the production team, he earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and, along with writing partner Brannon Braga, a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation for "All Good Things...," the series finale. They would go on to earn Hugo nominations for the first two TNG films, Star Trek: Generations (1994) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996). They also collaborated on the story for Mission: Impossible II (2000).
The end of TNG saw Mr. Moore assume the role of supervising producer on Rick Berman and Michael Piller's character-driven "Trek" spin-off, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993). He began by writing the 3rd-season premiere, "The Search, Part I," which saw the introduction of the U.S.S. "Defiant." He had originally intended to name Captain Sisko's starship "Valiant" after the ship mentioned in the second Star Trek (1966) pilot episode, which was titled "Where No Man Has Gone Before," but because Star Trek: Voyager (1995) was about to premiere, he changed it to "Defiant" in honor of the ship from "The Tholian Web."
As two of the most ardent Star Trek fans on DS9's writing staff, Mr. Moore and 'René Echevarria' were chosen to write the teleplay for "Trials and Tribble-ations" - DS9's tribute to TOS's 30th Anniversary. Besides bringing Captain Kirk and Captain Sisko together on-screen via some seamless Emmy-nominated visual effects, the episode also brought the pair a Hugo nomination. They would go on to write the series penultimate episode, "The Dogs of War," which introduced the new "Defiant," formerly the U.S.S. "Sao Paulo." The name of the ship and Sisko's line "Hello, ship" were a tribute to the Steve McQueen film The Sand Pebbles (1966). By the time DS9 ended, he was a co-executive producer and ready to move on to his third "Star Trek" series.
After a 2-episode stint as a co-executive producer on "Voyager," Mr. Moore said goodbye to the franchise. His first job after "Star Trek" was as a consulting producer on the final season of the Sci-Fi Channel's fantasy series Good vs Evil (1999). Eventually, he made his way to Jason Katims's teen SF-Drama series Roswell (1999). He joined TNG's Jonathan Frakes as a co-executive producer as well.
Thanks to his work on "Roswell," he was able to develop Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" as a pilot for the WB, but it was canceled before production began. Mr. Moore also served as a co-executive producer on "Roswell" when the series changed networks during the 2001-2002 television season. More recently, he was involved in the remake of _"Battlestar Galactica" (2003) (mini)_ for the sci-fi channel. writing the script for the mini-series and serving as executive producer on the subsequent series.- Writer
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James L. Brooks was born on 9 May 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Broadcast News (1987), As Good as It Gets (1997) and Terms of Endearment (1983). He was previously married to Holly Holmberg Brooks and Marianne Catherine Morrissey.- Writer
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Garry Kent Marshall (November 13, 1934 - July 19, 2016) was an American actor and filmmaker. He started his career in the 1960s writing for The Lucy Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show before he developed Neil Simon's 1965 play The Odd Couple for television in 1970. He gained fame for creating Happy Days (1974-1984), Laverne and Shirley (1976-1983), and Mork and Mindy (1978-1982). He is also known for directing Overboard (1987), Beaches (1988), Pretty Woman (1990), Runaway Bride (1999), and the family films The Princess Diaries (2001) and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). He also directed the romantic comedy ensemble films Valentine's Day (2010), New Year's Eve (2011), and Mother's Day (2016).- Writer
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Attended Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie-Mellon University) as a playwriting major. Barbara Bosson (his second wife), Michael Tucker, Bruce Weitz and Charles Haid were classmates; he and Tucker drove cross-country to Hollywood for full-time jobs at Universal, where Bochco would remain for 12 years.
In 1978, he moved to MTM Enterprises, who after several attempts gave him carte Blanche to create a show similar to Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) (Hill Street Blues (1981)). In 1985, MTM fired him, in part for his inability to keep HSB on budget. After creating L.A. Law (1986) and Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989) for NBC, he struck a $15M deal with ABC in 1987 to create 10 series pilots over 10 years.- Writer
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Leonard Stern was born on 23 December 1922 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Get Smart (1965), He & She (1967) and I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (1962). He was married to Gloria Stroock and Julie Adams. He died on 7 June 2011 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
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David Kelley might be described as living the American Dream, 1990s' style: write a screenplay, move to Hollywood, make millions and marry a movie star. A former Boston lawyer, in the last decade, he switched careers to become a successful television producer whose shows are recognized for their quality as well as receiving top ratings. David Kelley was born in 1956 and is originally from Maine. He attended Princeton University and Boston University Law School. He married actress Michelle Pfeiffer in November 1993. They have two children: Claudia Rose Kelley, born in March 1993, who was adopted by Ms. Pfeiffer eight months before their marriage, and John Henry, born in August 1994. Claudia Rose Kelley was christened and given Mr. Kelley's name at the couple's wedding ceremony. Mr. Kelley was an associate at Fine & Ambrogne in 1983 when he wrote a film script based on some of his legal experiences. Through a family friend, he got the script optioned and acquired an agent in 1986. It was produced in 1987, as a film titled From the Hip (1987), starring Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, and John Hurt. At the same time, producers Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher (creators of the successful police drama Hill Street Blues (1981)) were planning a new series set in a law firm, and looking for writers with legal backgrounds. They saw Mr. Kelley's script and invited him to Los Angeles to discuss writing a single script for L.A. Law (1986). The meeting was so successful that Mr. Kelley joined the show's staff as a story editor. The next year, he became executive story editor, and after Terry Fisher left the show, he became the supervising producer. Steven Bochco left L.A. Law (1986) after the third season, and Mr. Kelley took over as executive producer, while continuing to write many of the scripts himself. Mr. Kelley has since produced more critically acclaimed and successful shows. He served as creative consultant on Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989), which was produced by Steven Bochco, and as executive producer and writer for Picket Fences (1992). He is the executive producer of Chicago Hope (1994). He is part of the television production division of Twentieth Century Fox, which has been owned by Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate, The News Corporation Ltd., since 1985.- Writer
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Leonard Freeman was born on 31 October 1920 in Sonoma County, California, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Hawaii Five-O (1968), Route 66 (1960) and Hang 'Em High (1968). He was married to Joan Taylor. He died on 20 January 1974 in Palo Alto, California, USA.- Producer
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Alan A. Armer was born on 7 July 1922 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for The Fugitive (1963), The Untouchables (1959) and Lancer (1968). He was married to Elaine. He died on 5 December 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
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David Gerber was born on 25 July 1923 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Police Story (1973), The Lost Battalion (2001) and Riker (1981). He was married to Laraine Stephens. He died on 2 January 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
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Jay Ward (born as Joseph Ward Cohen Jr.) was an American creator and producer of animated television series. He was the eponymous founder of the animation studio Jay Ward Productions (1948-), one of the earliest American studios to market its productions to television audiences. Ward co-created "Crusader Rabbit" (1950-1959), the first animated series produced specifically for television. His subsequent productions included "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends" (1959-1964), "Hoppity Hooper" (1964-1967), "George of the Jungle" (1967), and "The Dudley Do-Right Show" (1969-1970). In the 1960s, Ward's studio started producing animated television commercials for the Quaker Oats Company. Its best known project in this field were the commercials featuring the cartoon mascot Cap'n Crunch, depicted as an 18th-century naval captain.
In 1920, Ward was born in San Francisco. His parents were Joseph Ward Cohen (1890-1967) and his wife Mercedes Juanita Troplong Ward (1892-1972). He was primarily raised in Berkeley California, and his family name had changed to "Ward" by his teen years. He attended the Frances E. Willard Intermediate School in Berkeley.
Ward received his college education at the University of California, Berkeley, and gained an undergraduate degree. He pursued further studies at the Harvard Business School, graduating in 1947 with a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Following his graduation, Ward opened his first real estate office. It was profitable, but Ward was soon injured when a runaway truck crashed into his office building.
During his recuperation period, decided to invest profits from his real estate business into opening a new animation studio. He partnered up with the animator Alex Anderson (1920-2010), who was his childhood friend. Anderson had previous experience working with the animation studio Terrytoons (1929-1972), and happened to be a nephew of the studio founder Paul Terry (1887-1971).
Ward and Anderson developed the pilot film "The Comic Strips of Television" to market a new group of characters to television producers. The characters included Crusader Rabbit (a short but intelligent adventurer), Hamhock Bones (a parody version of Sherlock Holmes) and Dudley Do-Right (a bumbling Canadian Mountie). Nobody was interested in Hamhock and Dudley, but producer Jerry Fairbanks (1904-1995) was interested in financing an entire series about Crusader. Ward and Anderson produced the first seasons of the Crusader Rabbit series from 1950 to 1952, developing Rags the Tiger as Crusader's dimwitted sidekick. The episodes followed a comedy adventure format, with cliffhangers at the end of each episode. This version of the series lasted for 195 episodes.
In 1953, Fairbanks declared bankruptcy. His inventory of filmed, low-budget productions from past decades was considered outdated, and he could not find a market for it. Ward and Anderson entered a legal battle in an attempt to secure their rights to the "Crusader Rabbit" series, but lost. When the series was revived in 1956, a new producer had hired a different production team. By that time, Ward was trying to develop the script for a new series. It was to be called "The Frostbite Falls Revue" , and was intended to feature an entire cast of eccentric characters. This project never materialized, but two characters developed for it became the next big stars for Ward's animation studio: Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose.
Ward found television success with the "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends", which recycled some of the adventure comedy ideas from "Crusader Rabbit". The new series benefited from having a talented group of animators working of it (Ward had hired veterans from the United Productions of America/UPA), from its witty scripts by Bill Scott, Chris Hayward, and Allan Burns, and from its frequent use of self-referential humor.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ward's animation studio largely ended its production of new animated series. Ward had recurring problems with finding network executives interested in his ideas, while his television commercials were a more stable source of profit for the studio. Ward also operated his own gift shop, "Dudley Do-Right Emporium" (1971-2005). It marketed toys and souvenirs based on the studio's past productions.
Ward died in October 1989, due to renal cancer. He was 69-years-old at the time of his death. His family continued operating the studio and the gift store for several years.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Alan Landsburg was born on 10 May 1933 in White Plains, New York, USA. He was a producer and director, known for Jaws 3-D (1983), Men in Crisis (1964) and Biography (1961). He was married to Linda Otto and Sally Landsburg. He died on 13 August 2014 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.- Producer
- Executive
Norman Rosemont was born on 12 December 1924 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and executive, known for The Secret Garden (1987), CBS Summer Playhouse (1987) and Stiletto (1969). He died on 22 April 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Danny Arnold was born on 23 January 1925 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Barney Miller (1975), My World and Welcome to It (1969) and That Girl (1966). He was married to Donna Cooke and Joanne Gilbert. He died on 19 August 1995 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
- Director
- Script and Continuity Department
Laven, Jules V. Levy and Arthur Gardner met in 1943 in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force. They were stationed at the Hal Roach Studio in Culver City, California (with other notables such as Capt. Ronald Reagan, Capt. Clark Gable and Lt. William Holden), making training films. Levy, Gardner and Laven resolved that they would start their own independent motion picture company after they got out of the Air Force; all were discharged in 1945, but their company wasn't formed until 1951 (in the interim, Levy and Laven worked as script supervisors and Gardner as an assistant director and production manager). The first Levy-Gardner-Laven film was Without Warning! (1952). In the decades since they have produced dozens of additional features and several TV series (including The Rifleman (1958), Law of the Plainsman (1959), The Detectives (1959) and The Big Valley (1965)).- Producer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jules V. Levy, Arthur Gardner and Arnold Laven met in 1943 in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force; they were stationed at the Hal Roach Studios in Culver City, CA (with other notables such as Capt. Ronald Reagan, Capt. Clark Gable and Lt. William Holden, etc.), making training films. Levy, Gardner and Laven resolved that they would start their own independent motion picture company after they got out of the Air Force; all were discharged in 1945, but their company wasn't formed until 1951 (in the interim, Levy and Laven worked as script supervisors and Gardner as an assistant director and production manager). The first Levy-Gardner-Laven film was 1952's Without Warning! (1952); in the decades since, they have produced dozens of additional features and several TV series (including The Rifleman (1958), Law of the Plainsman (1959), The Detectives (1959) and The Big Valley (1965).- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
Jules V. Levy was born on 12 February 1923 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a producer, known for Safari 3000 (1982), The Return of Dracula (1958) and The Vampire (1957). He was married to Shirley J. Ziegler, Enid Jaynes and Jacqueline Lita Freedman. He died on 24 May 2003 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Fred Coe was born on 23 December 1914 in Alligator, Mississippi, USA. He was a producer and director, known for A Thousand Clowns (1965), Lights Out (1946) and Producers' Showcase (1954). He was married to Joyce Beeler and Alice Marie Griggs. He died on 29 April 1979 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Leslie Stevens IV was a Navy brat. The son of Adm. Leslie Stevens made his mark first on Broadway, where his play, "The Marriage Go-Round", was a hit. He eventually wrote the screenplay for a movie version in 1960. After adapting Gore Vidal's "The Left-Handed Gun" to the screen in 1959, Stevens produced a low-budget melodrama, Private Property (1960), which starred his then-wife Kate Manx and was filmed at his Hollywood Hills home. The movie led to other work. In the early 1960s, Stevens was the head of Daystar Productions, one of the few independent TV production companies to survive amid the majors. Daystar created the Stoney Burke (1962) and The Outer Limits (1963) series. His 1965 movie Incubus (1966), which starred William Shatner and featured dialog spoken in Esperanto, was withdrawn from circulation by Stevens, who never released the movie beyond a few film festival showings. Stevens claimed in interviews that the deaths of two actors from the film made "Incubus" impossible for him to watch. In the 1970s, Stevens went on the payroll at Universal Studios and produced science-fiction series such as Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) and Gemini Man (1976). His final movie as a director was Three Kinds of Heat (1987) and, although his output in the 1990s was spotty, he did write a children's film, Gordy (1994).- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Harry Ackerman was born on 17 November 1912 in Albany, New York, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for The Flying Nun (1967), Love on a Rooftop (1966) and CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984). He was married to Elinor Donahue and Mary Shipp. He died on 3 February 1991 in Burbank, California, USA.- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Director
David L. Wolper was born on 11 January 1928 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a producer and director, known for L.A. Confidential (1997), Murder in the First (1995) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). He was married to Gloria Hill, Dawn Richard and Toni Carroll. He died on 10 August 2010 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Known primarily as a TV actor, he starred as a nightclub singer on the popular The Danny Thomas Show (1953).
He also served TV behind the cameras partnering with Sheldon Leonard and Aaron Spelling to create such shows as Dick Van Dyke's show, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961), The Andy Griffith Show (1960) and Mod Squad (1968).
He was also dedicated to building the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, which he founded in 1962.