John Cossette

{{Short description|American theatre and television producer (1957–2011)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = John Cossette

| birth_date = {{birth date|1957|2|22}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|4|26|1957|2|22}}

| death_place = Malibu, California, U.S.

| occupation = Theater and television producer

}}

John Cossette (February 22, 1957 – April 26, 2011){{cite news| url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/29/local/la-me-passings-20110429 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504164156/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/29/local/la-me-passings-20110429/2 | url-status=live | archive-date=May 4, 2011 | work=Los Angeles Times | title=PASSINGS: Roger Gimbel, John Cossette, W. Barclay Kamb | date=April 29, 2011}} was an American theater and television producer known for his work on televised award shows, especially the television broadcasts of the Grammy Awards.{{cite news |first=Phill|last=Gallo|title=Grammy Awards producer John Cossette dies at 54 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42783136|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430164419/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42783136/ns/today-entertainment|url-status=live|archive-date=2011-04-30|work=Billboard Magazine |publisher=Reuters |date=2011-04-27 |access-date=2011-05-01}}

Cossette's father, television producer Pierre Cossette, was known as the "father of the Grammy Awards telecast."{{cite news|title=Pierre Cossette dies at 85; 'father' of the Grammy Awards telecast|first=Randy|last=Lewis|date=September 12, 2009|access-date=September 12, 2009|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-pierre-cossette12-2009sep12,0,5656966.story}} Pierre Cossette helmed the first televised broadcast of the Grammy Awards in 1971.{{cite news |title=Grammys producer John Cossette dies aged 54 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13206042|work=BBC News |date=2011-04-27 |access-date=2011-05-01}}

John Cossette became the producer of the Grammy Awards following the departure of his father from the awards show. Cossette remained involved with the television broadcast of the Grammy Awards for more than twenty years, and also produced the Latin Grammy Awards show and the Grammy nominations concert. Most recently, Cossette worked as the executive producer of the 53rd Grammy Awards held on February 13, 2011.

In 2009, Cossette began producing productions of the musical, Million Dollar Quartet in Chicago, on Broadway and in London's West End. Cossette also produced awards show for the cable television network, BET. His other producing credits include the reopening ceremony for Radio City Music Hall in New York City in 1999.

John Cossette died on April 26, 2011, at the age of 54. No cause of death was ever given. He was survived by his wife, Rita, and two daughters. His father, Pierre Cossette, died in September 2009.