David Gerber

Gerber was president of the television division of three major studios: 20th Century Fox Television, from 1965 to 1972, Columbia Pictures Television, from 1974 to 1982 and MGM Television, from 1984 to 1992.

He executive produced for television under his own production company, David Gerber Productions.{{Cite news|date=October 7, 1974|title=A man for all new TV seasons: CPT's Dave Gerber|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/74-OCR/1974-10-07-BC-OCR-Page-0083.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021}}{{cite journal|date=May 6, 1974|title=Remodeling at Screen Gems|journal=Broadcasting|pages=39–40}}{{Cite news|date=March 11, 1985|title=How the MGM piece would fit into the Turner puzzle|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-08-12-OCR-Page-0028.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021}}{{Cite news|date=June 29, 1992|title=MGM TV group dissolves; Gerber departs|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/92-OCR/BC-1992-06-29-OCR-Page-0012.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021}} His first project was the sitcom The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968–1970). Over the next few years, he executive produced TV movies, the British children's series Here Come the Double Deckers (1970), the sitcom Nanny and the Professor (1970–1971), and the Western drama Cade's County (1971–1972). In 1973, he started production of the popular and critically acclaimed series Police Story, nominated for four consecutive years for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, winning in 1976.

After 1992, he launched his own production company The Gerber Company. In 1993, he partnered with ITC Entertainment Group to launch a production company, the Gerber-ITC Entertainment Group.{{Cite news|date=July 19, 1993|title=Gerber, ITC form production unit|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/93-OCR/BC-1993-07-19-Page-0027.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021}} In 1995, he went to All-American Television as producer.{{Cite web|author=|date=November 27, 1995|title=All American Trades On 'Baywatch' Fame To Raise Fresh Coin|url=https://variety.com/1995/tv/features/all-american-trades-on-baywatch-fame-to-raise-fresh-coin-99123752/|access-date=August 21, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}} He quit in 1998 to launch a production company affiliated with Fox Television Studios.{{Cite news|date=June 22, 1998|title=Fates & Fortunes|work=Broadcasting|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/98-OCR/BC-1998-06-22-OCR-Page-0078.pdf|access-date=August 21, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=February 6, 1998|title=Gerber ready to ankle Pearson All-American|url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/gerber-ready-to-ankle-pearson-all-american-1117467498/|access-date=August 21, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}} In 2003, his contract was reupped.{{Cite web|last=Schneider|first=Michael|date=June 4, 2003|title=Producer Gerber sticks with Fox TV|url=https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/producer-gerber-sticks-with-fox-tv-1117887308/|access-date=August 21, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}}

Other executive producer credits include Jessie, Riker, Eischied, The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, Nakia, Gibbsville, Hunter, Walking Tall, Quark, Today's FBI, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Lady Blue, The Price of Love and Jack & Mike. Gerber was executive producer of the 2006 made-for-TV docudrama, Flight 93.

Gerber was born in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up Jewish in a predominantly Italian and Irish neighborhood, early experiences which created an affinity for other cultures.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/producer-gerber-has-passion-worthy-127766/ |title=Producer Gerber has passion for worthy stories |date=January 11, 2007 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=December 16, 2023}} He served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, and was held as a prisoner of war in Nazi Germany for over a year after his B-17 bomber was shot down. After the war, he graduated from the University of the Pacific.{{cite magazine |title=TV producer, exec David Gerber dies |first=Alex Ben |last=Block |date=January 5, 2010 |agency=Associated Press |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tv-producer-exec-david-gerber-19134/ |access-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016212819/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tv-producer-exec-david-gerber-19134/ |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |url-status=live}}

He married actress Laraine Stephens in June 1970.{{cite news |title='Bracken's World' to Get The Axe on Christmas Day |first=Marilyn |last=Beck |author-link=Marilyn Beck |date=December 22, 1970 |agency=North American Newspaper Alliance |newspaper=Pensacola News Journal |page=24 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24311340/laraine_stephens/ |access-date=October 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Gerber died in Los Angeles from heart failure at the age of 86.

Gerber won one Primetime Emmy Awards from seven nominations, including four consecutive nominations for Outstanding Drama Series for the series Police Story, winning in 1976.{{cite web |title=David Gerber {{!}} Awards & Nominations |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/david-gerber |access-date=October 16, 2023}}

He won the Christopher Award for achievement in Television and Cable in 2002, for the television film The Lost Battalion (2001).{{cite news |title=Pacific honors one of its 'greatest' grads |first=Margee |last=Ensign |date=May 19, 2002 |newspaper=The Record |location=Stockton, California |url=https://www.recordnet.com/story/opinion/2002/05/19/pacific-honors-one-its-greatest/50753080007/ |access-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017000751/https://www.recordnet.com/story/opinion/2002/05/19/pacific-honors-one-its-greatest/50753080007/ |archive-date=October 17, 2023 |url-status=live}} His final production, the 2006 television film Flight 93, earned him a nomination for the Award for Best Long-Form Television at the 18th Producers Guild of America Awards,{{cite magazine |title=PGA announces nominees |first=Dave |last=McNary |author-link=Dave McNary |date=January 3, 2007 |magazine=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/pga-announces-nominees-1117956576/ |access-date=October 16, 2023}} in addition to his seventh Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Television Movie at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Gerber has also been recognized for his body of work. At the 1996 Artios Awards, Gerber received the Casting Society of America's Lifetime Achievement Award.{{cite web |title=1996 Artios Award Winners |date=October 15, 1996 |publisher=Casting Society of America |url=https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1996 |access-date=October 16, 2023}} In 2006, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.{{cite web |title=David Gerber |date=January 11, 2006 |website=Hollywood Walk of Fame |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce |url=https://walkoffame.com/david-gerber/ |access-date=October 16, 2023}}

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Category:1923 births

Category:2010 deaths

Category:20th-century American Jews

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:American television producers

Category:University of the Pacific (United States) alumni

Category:Place of birth missing

Category:20th Century Studios people

Category:Columbia Pictures people

Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives

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