Merv Adelson
{{Short description|American TV producer (1929–2015)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Merv Adelson
| image = Mervyn Adelson.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Adelson in 1985
| birth_name = Mervyn Lee Adelson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|10|23}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|09|08|1929|10|23}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|real estate developer|television producer}}
| years_active = 1950–2015
| known_for = Co-founder of Lorimar Television
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|Lori Kaufman|||end=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Gail Kenaston|||end=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Barbara Walters|1981|1984|reason=divorced}}{{marriage||1986|1992|reason=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Thea Nesis|||end=divorced}}
}}
| children = 5, including Andrew and Gary
}}
Mervyn Lee Adelson (October 23, 1929 – September 8, 2015) was an American real estate developer and television producer who co-founded Lorimar Television.
Early life
Adelson was born to a Jewish family{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bCJfAIOC2csC&q=merv+adelson&pg=PA179|first=John P.|last=Marschall|title=Jews in Nevada: A History|pages=180|publisher=University of Nevada Press|date=February 1, 2008|isbn=9780874177374}} in Los Angeles on October 23, 1929 to Nathan and Pearl Adelson (née Swartz). His parents were the children of immigrants from Russia who had settled in Nebraska. When he was a child, he worked in a grocery store run by his family.{{cite news|last1=Weber|first1=Bruce|title=Merv Adelson, Daring TV Producer, Dies at 85|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/business/media/merv-adelson-daring-tv-producer-dies-at-85.html?_r=0|accessdate=September 11, 2015|work=New York Times|date=September 11, 2015}}
Career
In the 1950s Adelson established himself in Las Vegas where he first met Irwin Molasky and Moe Dalitz.Ed Koch, [http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/sep/01/desert-inn-stardust-chief-helped-integrate-las-veg/ Desert Inn, Stardust chief helped integrate Las Vegas Strip], Las Vegas Sun, September 1, 2008 The trio were responsible for building the Las Vegas Country Club as well as what became Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Molasky and Adelson later opened Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in 1965. Adelson soon left the real estate industry and co-founded Lorimar Television with Molasky and Lee Rich in 1969.{{cite news|title=Lorimar Co-Founder and TV Mogul Merv Adelson Dies at 85|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/merv-adelson-dies-dead-full-house-lorimar-1201589568/|accessdate=September 11, 2015|work=Variety|date=September 9, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-lorimar-company-behind-dallas-668926|title=How Lorimar, the Company Behind 'Dallas' and 'Falcon Crest,' Bred Hollywood's Ruling Executive Class|website=hollywoodreporter.com|date=9 January 2014 |accessdate=31 October 2018}}
Personal life and death
Adelson was married and subsequently divorced four times. His first wife was Lori Kaufman with whom he had a daughter and two sons:{{cite news|title=Merv Adelson, television producer - obituary|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11861848/Merv-Adelson-television-producer-obituary.html |accessdate=September 1, 2017|work=Daily Telegraph|date=September 13, 2015}} Ellen Adelson Ross, Andrew Adelson, and Gary Adelson.{{cite news|last1=Koch|first1=Ed|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/sep/09/las-vegas-developer-turned-hollywood-mogul-had-his/|title=Las Vegas developer turned Hollywood mogul had his share of highs, lows|accessdate=September 1, 2017|work=Las Vegas Sun|date=September 11, 2015}} His second wife was Gail Kenaston, adopted daughter of silent film star Billie Dove.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-22-mn-10531-story.html Los Angeles Times: "Gail Adelson; Hostess, Home Designer to the Stars" by Myrna Oliver] February 22, 1999 His third wife was the television journalist Barbara Walters to whom he was married from 1986 to 1992. They met on a blind date in 1984.{{Cite web |last=Gostin |first=Nicki |date=2024-04-15 |title=Barbara Walters's career ambitions kept her from true love |url=https://pagesix.com/2024/04/15/entertainment/barbara-walterss-career-ambitions-kept-her-from-true-love/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |language=en-US}}{{cite news|last1=Woo|first1=Elaine|title=Merv Adelson dies at 85; TV mogul and philanthropist|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-merv-adelson-20150911-story.html|accessdate=September 11, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 10, 2015}} His fourth wife was Thea Nesis with whom he had adopted two daughters, Lexi and Ava Nesis. All his marriages ended in divorce.
Adelson died in Los Angeles, on September 8, 2015, from cancer. He was 85.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0011857}}
- {{Find a Grave|166250173}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adelson, Merv}}
Category:Television producers from California
Category:American film studio executives
Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Category:Deaths from cancer in California
Category:American businesspeople in real estate
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:20th-century American Jews