- David Holman
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David Holman Alma mater University of Texas at Austin (1962–1964)[1] Years active 1973–2000 Known for Television producer and executive David Holman is a former television producer and executive for over forty years, both in New York and Los Angeles.[1] While working for Jim Henson and the Muppets he helped launch the original The Muppet Show in 1975,[1] and worked on that series, "Sesame Street",[1] "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" Special, and The Muppet Movie for six years.[2] He later went on to produce and manage dozens of productions eventually working on several thousand individual shows from daytime soap operas, to primetime shows such as "Mad About You",[3] and late night shows such as The Dick Cavett Show.[1] He won an Emmy Award for his work as technical supervisor for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.[1] Although semi-retired he is still developing screenplays.
History
Holman first met Jim Henson while he was working at ABC-TV in New York in 1973.[2] ABC was producing a Muppet TV Special called "A Muppet Valentine Special" with actress Mia Farrow as the only human guest star.[2] (Miss Piggy had not been "born" yet.) When ABC ordered a second TV special, "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence" for a possible Muppet TV series in primetime, Henson hired Holman away from ABC to be producer for television projects for Henson Associates, Inc. in 1975.[4][5] After the two Specials aired it was surprising to Henson and Holman to learn that the network "passed" on hiring the Muppets to be in primetime.[2] The two other networks at the time – NBC and CBS – also "passed".[2] "The Muppet Show" was picked up as a series by several affiliates instead,[2][6] and later became a hit in syndication.[2] "By the second season, the series was breaking syndication records and broadcasting in more than 100 countries. And it won several Emmy Awards."[2] Holman worked as the production office manager for Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Saturday Night Live.[7]
Holman continued his career in Los Angeles where he won a technical supervisor TV Emmy Award for his work for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games.[1] In 1985, he was named director of live and tape production for Columbia Pictures Television for fifteen years.[1][7] Holman worked on several thousand episodes of television series, including "The Young and the Restless",[1] "Days of Our Lives",[1] "Punky Brewster", "Designing Women", "What's Happening Now", "Who's the Boss?",[1] 227,[1] My Two Dads,[1] Entertainment Tonight,[1] "The Nanny",[3] "Mad About You",[3] "King of Queens", "Married With Children", The Dick Cavett Show,[1] "Jeopardy", and "Wheel of Fortune". After his retirement in 2000, Holman wrote an article about his experiences with Jim Henson and The Muppets that was published in the December 2004 issue of Palm Springs Life.[2]
During his early retirement in 2000, Holman met author Joyce Spizer and together they co-wrote (with another first-time writer) a screenplay. Holman and Spizer (now Joyce Foy) have written a second screenplay and formed Hollywood East Productions,[8] in 2005 to write and produce independent films. They are currently in pre-production with one of their scripts to be produced sometime in 2009.
Holman also was named an Outstanding Young Man of America in 1970 by the U.S. Jacees, and given an Award of Merit by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, for directing "Paths of Progress" TV series at KTBC-TV, Austin, Texas, in 1963. He served in the U.S. Army in Munich, Germany, between 1960 and 1962, and was honorably discharged in 1962. He studied Broadcasting at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas.[1]
Holman remains an active member of the Producers Guild of America, the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, a founding member of the Palm Springs Chapter of Women In Film, a Guest Lecturer for colleges & universities in the U.S., and is a Life Member of the University of Texas Ex-Students' Association. Holman is listed in Who's Who in Entertainment 1990–Present and in Who's Who in California 1983–2006.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p The Alcade, Nov-Dec 1988, Vol. 77, No. 2, pp.35, ISSN 1535-993X.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i David Holman, "Start the Music! Light the Lights!: A Rancho Mirage resident who worked closely with Jim Henson recalls his brightest memories of taking TV’s first puppetshow for adults to prime time." Palm Springs Life, December 2004
- ^ a b c The Alcalde, September 2000, pp. 72, Vol. 89, No. 1, ISSN 1535-993X.
- ^ The Alcalde, January 1975, pp. 40, Vol. 63, No. 3, ISSN 1535-993X.
- ^ Site listing show credits includes "Associate Producer: David Holman Original Airdate: March 19, 1975 on ABC; DVD Release: Buena Vista Home Video, 2005.
- ^ "The Muppets Are G-Rated", The Times-News 15 March 1975; articles notes Holman as Associate producer of series.
- ^ a b The Alcalde, May-June 1985, pp. 54–57, Vol. 73, No. 5, ISSN 1535-993X.
- ^ Joyce Fox biography
Categories:- American television producers
- Living people
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