Lee Rich

Lee Rich
Rich in 1973
Born(1918-12-19)December 19, 1918
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
DiedMay 24, 2012(2012-05-24) (aged 93)
NationalityAmerican
EducationOhio University
Occupation(s)Film and television producer
Known forThe Waltons and Dallas producer
Spouses
(m. 1964; div. 1983)
Angela Rich
(before 1991)
Children5
AwardsEmmy Award

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 Tetiev, 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. In regards to the famous 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 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.

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. Later Rich had two other children with his second wife, Angela Rich.

Death

Rich died on May 24, 2012, at the age of 93 in Los Angeles, California from lung cancer.

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 producer
Executive 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

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