Howie Horwitz
{{Short description|American television producer (1918–1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
Howard Santly Horwitz (May 22, 1918 – June 25, 1976) was an American television producer, remembered as the producer of 77 Sunset Strip between 1958 and 1964 and the Batman television series between 1966 and 1968.
Biography
He was born in New York City. By the early 1950s, he was working as assistant to producer George Stevens at Paramount Pictures, on films including A Place in the Sun (1951) and Shane (1953). After moving into television, he became producer of 77 Sunset Strip from 1958. Writer and producer Joel Rogosin described Horwitz as "very innovative", producing one episode in real time, another with no dialogue, and another in which the star, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., was the sole performer.[https://books.google.com/books?id=un8lbgJWf7MC&q=horwitz+&pg=PA68 Joel Rogosin, Writing a Life, Xlibris Corporation, 2004, p.70]
He was appointed as producer for Batman in 1966, working with executive producer William Dozier and chief scriptwriter Lorenzo Semple.[https://books.google.com/books?id=jW6qDgAAQBAJ&q=horwitz&pg=PA187 Michael Eury, "America Goes Batty: The Batman TV Show", Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, & Culture of the Swinging Sixties, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2017, p.187][https://books.google.com/books?id=dx6hBAAAQBAJ&q=horwitz+&pg=PA98 John Kenneth Muir, "Batman (1966-68)", The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, pp.97-117] Horwitz said that the only message of the show was "wholesome entertainment".[https://books.google.com/books?id=kUBLURuzOxEC&dq=horwitz+batman&pg=PA44 "Watt Began Training at 48", Ebony, April 1966, p.44] He later worked on the TV series The Immortal (1970–71), Banacek (1972-74), and Baretta (1975).[https://fiftiesweb.com/tv/banacek/ "Banacek". FiftiesWeb.com]. Retrieved July 5, 2020
He was nominated for Emmy awards for Batman (Outstanding Comedy Series, 1966) and Baretta (Outstanding Drama Series, 1976).[https://www.emmys.com/bios/howie-horwitz Howie Horwitz: Awards and Nominations, Emmys.com]. Retrieved July 5, 2020
Horwitz died at June Lake, California, aged 58, following a fall when on a family holiday. He was the uncle of singer and songwriter Lesley Gore, who appeared in the role of Pussycat in the Batman series,[https://www.tor.com/2016/08/30/holy-rewatch-batman-that-darn-catwoman-scat-darn-catwoman/ Keith R.A. DeCandido, "Holy Rewatch Batman! “That Darn Catwoman” / “Scat! Darn Catwoman”, TOR.com, August 30, 2016]. Retrieved July 5, 2020 and of her brother, film composer Michael Gore.
References
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External links
- {{IMDb name|nm0395853}}
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Category:American television producers
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