Lee Rich

Lee Rich (December 19, 1918 – May 24, 2012) was an American film and television producer, who won the 1973 Outstanding Drama Series Emmy award for The Waltons as the producer. He is also known as the co-founder and former chairman of Lorimar Television.

Among the five Emmy nominated programs Rich produced were the series Dallas and Knots Landing.

Early life and education Rich was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 19, 1918. His parents were Morris Richtaller and Anna Neminsky, both Jewish. His mother was born in Tetiiv, Ukraine. He earned a marketing degree from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Career Rich began his career in advertising and ultimately became an industry executive.

He served in the Navy as a lieutenant in World War II, and then returned to advertising in New York, where he rose to senior vice president and a member of the board of Benton & Bowles.

As the ad agency middleman between product company sponsors and television producers, he was involved with The Andy Griffith Show, Make Room for Daddy, The Edge of Night, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Rich left Benton & Bowles in 1965 to partner with the Mirisch Co. and form Mirisch-Rich Productions. There he produced The Rat Patrol.

In 1969, he, Merv Adelson, and Irwin Molasky formed Lorimar Productions. Its first production was The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971), a television film which led to Lorimar producing the series it inspired, The Waltons, featuring the same characters. The series ran on CBS from 1972 to 1981. Rich also co-produced the short-lived 1977 CBS espionage drama Hunter. Lorimar's biggest hit was the primetime soap Dallas, which ran from 1978 to 1991. During the Dallas storyline Who Shot J.R.? (in which Larry Hagman’s character is fired upon in the 1979-80 season finale in March and the assailant is not revealed until the following November) only Rich, executive producer Philip Capice, and writer-director Leonard Katzman knew which of three previously shot endings would be used.

After leaving Lorimar in 1986, Rich joined MGM/UA Communications. For two years he was the chairman and chief executive of MGM. After leaving MGM, he started The Lee Rich Company (aka Lee Rich Productions) with a deal at Warner Bros. for film and television production.

Personal life Rich married American actress Pippa Scott in 1964, having three children together before they divorced in 1983, though they maintained a friendship until his death.

Filmography He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film Year Film Credit Notes 1971 The Sporting Club 1972 The Man 1977 The Choirboys 1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? Executive producer 1990 Hard to Kill Executive producer 1992 Innocent Blood Passenger 57 1995 Just Cause The Amazing Panda Adventure 1996 Big Bully 1998 Desperate Measures 1999 Gloria 2001 The Score Final film as a producer

Television Year Title Credit Notes 1967 The Rat Patrol Executive producer Sheriff Who Executive producer Television film 1971 Aesop's Fables Executive producer Television film Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate Executive producer Television film The Good Life Executive producer The Homecoming: A Christmas Story Executive producer Television film 1972 The Crooked Hearts Executive producer Television film Pursuit Executive producer Television film 1973 The Girls of Huntington House Executive producer Television film Dying Room Only Executive producer Television film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Executive producer Television film The Blue Knight Executive producer Television film A Dream for Christmas Executive producer Television film Pomroy's People Executive producer Television film 1974 Police Headquarters Executive producer Television film The Stranger Within Executive producer Television film Bad Ronald Executive producer Television film Apple's Way Executive producer 1973−74 Doc Elliot Executive producer 1975 The Runaway Barge Executive producer Television film The Runaways Executive producer Television film Returning Home Executive producer Television film Eric Executive producer Television film Conspiracy of Terror Executive producer Television film 1976 Widow Executive producer Television film Helter Skelter Executive producer Television film You're Just Like Your Father Executive producer Television film 1975−76 The Blue Knight Executive producer 1977 Green Eyes Executive producer Television film Bravo Two Executive producer Television film Killer on Board Executive producer Television film Bunco Executive producer Television film 1978 A Question of Guilt Executive producer Television film The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands Executive producer Television film The Young Pioneers Executive producer The Waverly Wonders Executive producer Desperate Women Executive producer Television film Long Journey Back Executive producer Television film 1979 Some Kind of Miracle Executive producer Television film Mr. Horn Executive producer Television film Studs Lonigan Executive producer Married: The First Year Executive producer Big Shamus, Little Shamus Executive producer Young Love, First Love Executive producer Television film Mary and Joseph: A Story of Faith Executive producer Television film A Man Called Intrepid Executive producer 1978−79 Kaz Executive producer 1980 Marriage Is Alive and Well Executive producer Television film Skag Executive producer The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons Executive producer Television film Reward Executive producer Television film Willow B: Women in Prison Executive producer Television film Joshua's World Executive producer Television film A Perfect Match Executive producer Television film Secrets of Midland Heights Executive producer 1971−80 The Waltons Co-executive producerExecutive producer 1978−80 Dallas Executive producer 1981 A Matter of Life and Death Executive producer Television film Our Family Business Executive producer Television film Killjoy Executive producer Television film 1977−81 Eight Is Enough Executive producer 1982 King's Crossing Executive producer A Wedding on Walton's Mountain Executive producer Television film Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain Executive producer Television film This Is Kate Bennett... Executive producer Television film Two Guys from Muck Executive producer Television film Two of a Kind Executive producer Television film A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain Executive producer Television film 1980−82 Flamingo Road Executive producer 1983 Dusty Executive producer Television film One Cooks, the Other Doesn't Executive producer Television film 1990 The Face of Fear Executive producer Television film 1993 Killer Rules Executive producer Television film Against the Grain Executive producer A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion Executive producer Television film 1994 Island City Executive producer Television film 1995 A Walton Wedding Executive producer Television film 1996 Dallas: J.R. Returns Executive producer Television film 1997 A Walton Easter Executive producer Television film

Production manager

Year Title Role Notes 1966−67 The Rat Patrol Executive in charge of production Hey, Landlord In charge of production 1976 Sybil Production supervisor Television film

Thanks

Year Title Role Notes 2012 64th Primetime Emmy Awards In memory of Television special