Kathryn Busby
{{short description|American film executive|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kathryn Busby
| image =
| caption =
| birthname = Kathryn Ann Busby
| birth_date =
| birth_place = United States
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Film executive, film producer
| yearsactive = 1996–present
| parents =
| other_names = Kathy Busby
| relatives = Margaret Busby (aunt)
| children =
| alma_mater = Harvard University
| employer = Starz
| awards = Essence Black Women In Hollywood Award, 2024
| signature =
}}
Kathryn Ann Busby is an American film executive, who has been senior vice president of development at Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPT),[http://savoynetwork.com/features/kathryn-busby/ Kathryn Busby biography] at Savoy, October 31, 2016. executive vice president of TriStar Television,{{cite web|first=Elaine|last= Low|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/kathryn-busby-evp-sony-pictures-tristar-television-1203461386/ |title=Kathryn Busby Tapped to Head Sony Pictures' TriStar Television|magazine=Variety|date=January 8, 2020}} and most recently President of Original Programming at Starz, announced in November 2021. Sometimes credited as Kathy Busby, she is also a film producer. She was elected chair of the board of directors of BAFTA Los Angeles as of 2019,[http://www.bafta.org/los-angeles/about/board-election-kathryn-busby-to-become-chair "Board Election: Kathryn Busby elected Chair"], BAFTA Los Angeles, December 11, 2018. and in January 2022 was announced as chair of BAFTA's inaugural North America Board,{{cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/bafta-announces-expansion-of-north-america-operations|title=BAFTA announces expansion of North America operations|website=BAFTA|date=January 5, 2022|access-date=January 6, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/starzs-kathryn-busby-to-lead-baftas-new-north-america-board/5166347.article|title=Starz's Kathryn Busby to lead Bafta's new North America board|first=Ellie|last= Calnan|date=January 5, 2022|website=Screen Daily|access-date=January 6, 2022}} in which role she was succeeded by Joyce Pierpoline in 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/joyce-pierpoline-appointed-chair-of-bafta-north-america-board|title=Joyce Pierpoline appointed Chair of BAFTA North America's Board of Directors|date=January 8, 2024|website=BAFTA}}
Biography
=Education and early work=
Busby graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=idUDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22kathryn+busby%22+harvard&pg=PA12 |title=Speaking of People {{!}} Television Executive Vice President|magazine=Ebony|date= November 1999|page= 12}}[https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-busby-0189449/ Kathryn Busby] at LinkedIn. She worked in the record industry for several years as an executive at LaFace Records, Paisley Park Records,{{cite magazine|first=David|last= Nathan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-BEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22kathy+busby%22+paisley+park&pg=PA21 |title=Staples Poised For Big Break? Paisley Gears For promotional Push|magazine=Billboard|volume=105|number=36|date=September 4, 1993}} and MCA Records in London, UK.
=Television career=
Beginning a career in television, Busby was director of comedy development at Universal Television from 1996 to 1999.{{cite web|first=Nellie |last=Andreeva|url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/kathryn-busby-joins-spt-networks-as-svp-programming-production-706199/|title=Kathryn Busby Joins SPT Networks As SVP Programming & Production|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 28, 2014}}
From 1999 to 2005, she was senior vice president and head of development at Carsey-Werner,[https://books.google.com/books?id=BLQDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22kathy+busby%22&pg=PA17 "People | Kathy Busby"], Jet, Vol. 105, No. 10, March 8, 2004, p. 17. where she developed such television series as Whoopi, The Tracy Morgan Show, Game Over, and Grounded for Life.{{cite web|first=Candice |last=McDonough|url=http://www.timewarner.com/newsroom/press-releases/2005/09/12/kathy-busby-joins-new-line-cinema-as-senior-vp-of-production|title=Kathy Busby Joins New Line Cinema as Senior VP of Production|publisher= Time Warner|date= September 12, 2005}} She was subsequently supervising producer for The Aisha Tyler Show and senior vice president of production at New Line Cinema,{{cite web|first=Ben|last= Fritz|url=https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/busby-getting-new-line-gig-1117928844/ |title=Busby getting New Line gig|magazine=Variety|date= September 8, 2005}} where she was executive producer on the 2008 film Sex and the City[http://banthenword.org/news/publish/enews2008/enews91.shtml "Films Monitored"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042118/http://banthenword.org/news/publish/enews2008/enews91.shtml |date=December 1, 2017 }}, BN-W eNewsletter #91.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/fullcredits "Sex and the City (2008) | Full Cast & Crew"], IMDb. and senior executive on Rush Hour 3 (2007).
Busby worked for four years with Turner Broadcasting from 2010,{{cite web|first=Nellie|last= Andreeva|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/former-carsey-werner-exec-joins-22194 |title=Former Carsey-Werner exec joins TBS|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date= March 31, 2010}} as vice president of comedy development and vice president of TNT and TBS Originals,[http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/07/11/tnt-and-tbss-original-programming-group-reorganizes-with-new-roles-for-lillah-mccarthy-brett-weitz-and-kathy-busby-plus-newly-hired-unscripted-development-exec-david-eilenberg-809111/20120711turner01/ "TNT and TBS's Original Programming Group Reorganizes, with New Roles for Lillah McCarthy, Brett Weitz and Kathy Busby, Plus Newly Hired Unscripted Development Exec David Eilenberg"], The Futon Critic, July 11, 2012. working on such shows as Black Box, Wedding Band and Sullivan & Son.{{cite web|first=Lesley |last=Goldberg|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/kathryn-busby-promoted-president-tristar-tv-1268286 |title=Kathryn Busby Promoted to Head of TriStar TV|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=January 9, 2010}} In 2014, she joined Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks, where she was senior vice president of development, initiating and overseeing the sourcing, development and early production of original series around the world.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv37LKr2Cqs "EXCLUSIVE - Brief interview with Kathryn Busby (Sony Pictures Television Network) - MIA Market 2018"], Mia Market - Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo, July 3, 2019.
As senior vice president of the boutique production unit Gemstone Studios, she spearheaded the development and production of drama series such as Absentia,{{cite web|first=Elaine |last=Low|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/sony-pictures-television-production-unit-1203160678/|title=Sony Pictures Television Launches New Boutique Production Unit (EXCLUSIVE)|magazine=Variety|date= March 12, 2019}} and oversaw the development of such projects as the local-language original series Ultraviolet and the series Carter (starring Jerry O'Connell and Sydney Poitier Heartsong), until in January 2020 being named executive vice president of TriStar Television, a division of SPT.{{cite web|first=Nellie |last=Andreeva|url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/kathryn-busby-named-head-of-tristar-television-1202825549/ |title=Kathryn Busby Named Head Of TriStar Television|website=Deadline Hollywood|date= January 9, 2020}}{{cite web|first=Lawrence|last= Yee|url=https://www.thewrap.com/kathryn-busby-named-head-of-tristar-television/ |title=Kathryn Busby Named Head of TriStar Television|website=The Wrap|date= January 9, 2020}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.essence.com/entertainment/kathryn-busby-head-of-tristar-television/ |title=Kathryn Busby Named Head Of TriStar Television|magazine=Essence|date= January 23, 2020}}
In November 2021, it was announced that Busby would be leaving the Sony television label to become President of Original Programming at Starz, succeeding Christina Davis.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/kathryn-busby-starz-president-of-original-programming-exit-tristar-television-1234866199/|title=TriStar TV's Kathryn Busby Joins Starz As President Of Original Programming|first=Nellie |last=Andreeva|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=November 17, 2021|access-date=November 18, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/kathryn-busby-to-head-original-programming-at-starz-1235049346/|title=Kathryn Busby to Head Original Programming at Starz|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Lesley|last= Goldberg|date=November 17, 2021|access-date=November 18, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/starz-kathryn-busby-president-original-programming-1235114439/|title=Starz Names Kathryn Busby President of Original Programming|website=Variety|first=Joe |last=Otterson|date=November 17, 2021|access-date=November 18, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://mediaroom.starz.com/bio/Kathryn-Busby|title=Kathryn Busby {{!}} President, Original Programming|website=Starz}}
In January 2022, Busby was elected Chair of the inaugural BAFTA North America Board, after BAFTA united its New York and Los Angeles entities.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bafta-us-board-starz-kathryn-busby-chair-1235070149/|title=BAFTA Unifies U.S. Operations Under One Board, Starz's Kathryn Busby Named Chair|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Alex|last=Ritman|date=January 5, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/starz-programming-boss-kathryn-busby-to-chair-baftas-all-new-north-america-board-1234904729/|title=Starz Programming Boss Kathryn Busby To Chair BAFTA's All-New North America Board|first=Max |last=Goldbart|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=January 5, 2022|access-date=January 6, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/bafta-expands-north-america-1235147172/|title=BAFTA Expands North America Operations, Appoints Starz's Kathryn Busby as Board Chair|first=K.J. |last=Yossman|work=Variety|date=January 5, 2022|access-date=January 6, 2022}} She was succeeded in the role in 2024 by Joyce Pierpoline.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/global/bafta-joyce-pierpoline-north-america-chair-1235864886/|title=BAFTA Names Joyce Pierpoline New North America Board Chair|first=Alex|last=Ritman|website=Variety|date=January 8, 2024|access-date=January 12, 2024}}
=Other activities=
Also a filmmaker, Busby's work includes having directed, produced and co-written the short film Max and Josh (2006), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival,[http://www.c21media.net/event/c21-international-drama-summit/speakers/ Speakers | International Drama Summit Speakers], Content London. and the 2004 comedy short My Purple Fur Coat[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477787/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk3 "My Purple Fur Coat (2004)"], IMDb. (winner of a Best Children's Short award at the Houston Black Film Festival).[http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/07/prweb257987.htm "The 1st Annual Houston Black Film Festival Wrapped Up Sunday June 26th, With Distribution and Option Deals On the Table"]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Cision PrWeb, July 5, 2005. She co-authored with Neena Beber the original screenplay Her Gal Friday, which was optioned at ABC's Freeform channel.
Busby is on the Los Angeles board of directors for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA),[http://www.bafta.org/los-angeles/about/key-personnel/the-board-and-staff "The Board and Staff"], BAFTA Los Angeles. of which she was elected deputy chair in January 2018,{{cite web|first=Alex |last=Ritman|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ifc-films-arianna-bocco-elected-chair-bafta-new-york-1076871 |title=Sony executive Kathryn Busby has been elected deputy chair of the British Academy's L.A. board|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date= January 22, 2018}} and chair in December 2018.{{cite web|first=Mark A.|last= Silba|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/kathryn-busby-elected-chair-of-bafta-la-board/5135220.article |title=Kathryn Busby elected chair of Bafta LA board|work=Screen Daily|date= December 11, 2018}}{{cite web|first=Peter |last=White|url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/kathryn-busby-bafta-la-board-1202517920/ |title=Sony Exec Kathryn Busby To Chair BAFTA LA Board|website=Deadline Hollywood|date= December 11, 2018}} She is also on the Board of Directors of PACE (Philanthropy and Community Engagement).
Busby features in the 1999 book by Julian C. R. Okwu As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age.{{cite book|first=Julian C. R. |last=Okwu|title=As I Am: Young African American Women in a Critical Age|publisher= Chronicle Books|date= 1999|isbn=978-0811820738}} She is the niece of British publisher Margaret Busby.{{cite tweet|number=700704821444083713|user=Busby|title=A reminder of how impressive my Aunt Margaret was, and still is.|date=February 19, 2016}}
Accolades
In December 2022, Busby was named on The Hollywood Reporter{{'}}s Women in Entertainment Power 100 list.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/the-hollywood-reporters-2022-women-in-entertainment-power-100/|title=The Hollywood Reporter's 2022 Women in Entertainment Power 100|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Mikey|last=O'Connell|date=December 7, 2022|access-date=December 12, 2022|language=en-US}}
In March 2024, she was an honoree, alongside Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey and Nkechi Okoro Carroll, at Essence magazine's 17th annual Black Women In Hollywood Awards,{{cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/gallery/meet-the-2024-essence-bwih-honorees/|title=Meet The 2024 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Honorees|first=Okla|last=Jones|date=March 7, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/news/watch-black-women-in-hollywood-kathryn-busby-acceptance-speech/|title=WATCH: Black Women In Hollywood: Kathryn Busby Acceptance Speech|website=Essence|date=March 22, 2024|access-date=March 24, 2024}} and "emphasized that throughout her life, she learned a valuable lesson of not accepting the circumstances in front of her from her mom, aunt and grandmother....'They marched ahead because they didn't believe in limitations, and neither do I,' she said."{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/halle-bailey-danielle-brooks-personal-challenges-essence-black-women-in-hollywood-awards-1235846673/|title=Halle Bailey, Danielle Brooks Share How They Overcame Personal Challenges at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards|website=Hollywood Reporter|date=March 8, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024}} Asked the question "What do Black Women In Hollywood deserve?" by Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Busby replied: "We need to tell our stories and put them out in the world. I feel very grateful to have come up the ranks to a position of power where I really can have a say at what kind of stories are told."{{cite web|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/black-women-in-hollywood-deserve-pay-gap|title=What Do Black Women In Hollywood Deserve? We Asked Them|website=Refinery29|date=March 15, 2024|access-date=March 20, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- Nellie Andreeva, [https://deadline.com/2022/08/starz-kathryn-busby-diverse-storytelling-sean-penn-party-down-revival-1235088721/ "Starz's Kathryn Busby On Expanding Diverse Storytelling, Re-Teaming With Sean Penn & 'Special' 'Party Down' Revival"], Deadline, August 10, 2022.
- [http://dramaquarterly.com/six-of-the-best-kathryn-busby/ "Six of the best: Kathryn Busby"], DQ (Drama Quarterly), April 30, 2018.
- [https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/video/kathryn-busby-at-bafta-tea-party-in-los-angeles-ca-1-5-19-news-footage/1090313668 "SPEECH - Kathryn Busby at BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles, CA 1/5/19"]. Getty Images.
- Jose Alejandro Bastidas, [https://www.thewrap.com/starz-kathryn-busby-president-original-programming-interview/ "Starz's Adult-Only Focus Holds Network Steady as Hollywood Contracts, Programming President Says"] (interview with Busby), TheWrap, July 31, 2024.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Busby, Kathryn}}
Category:21st-century African-American people
Category:21st-century African-American women
Category:African-American screenwriters
Category:African-American television producers
Category:African-American women screenwriters
Category:African-American women writers
Category:American television producers
Category:American women film producers
Category:American women screenwriters
Category:American women television producers
Category:Harvard University alumni