Kevin Burns

Infobox actor

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name=Kevin Burns
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location=Schenectady, New York, U.S.
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Kevin Burns (born June 18, 1955 [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/Kevin-Burns.html Filmreference.com] ] ) is an Emmy Award-winning American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on FOX, A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, and The History Channel.

Biography

Early life

A film and television fan since childhood, Burns grew up in Niskayuna, New York and graduated cum laude from Hamilton College in 1977. In 1981 he received a master's degree in film from Boston University's College of Communication. After graduation, Burns taught film production at the university, as well as heading the school's "Film Unit", a group that allowed students to gain real world experience by producing commercials, PSAs, documentaries and other projects for clients. In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began working as an executive at 20th Century Fox Television. [http://lismemories.com/lis/cast/crew/burns/index.htm Kevin Burns Biography] ]

Career

While at Fox, Burns co-founded Foxstar Productions, the production unit responsible for creating a series of "Alien Nation" movies for television. In 1994, while serving as Senior VP of Foxstar, Burns founded Van Ness Films, a non-fiction and documentary production unit. That same year, he met Jon Jashni, a Fox film executive who shared Burns' interest in the works of legendary Hollywood producer, Irwin Allen.

In 1999, Burns officially transitioned from his role as a studio executive to that of a full time producer. While still under a production deal at Fox Television Studios, Burns and Jon Jashni formed Synthesis Entertainment and began developing and producing remakes and sequels of the Allen properties, most notably a Fox Television pilot for an updated version of "The Time Tunnel" (2002) [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122745/ IMDb credits, Kevin Burns] ] and the feature film versions of "Poseidon" (2006) and "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (scheduled for release in 2010). [cite news|last=Fleming| first=Michael|title='Fox 2000 dives into 'Voyage': Haythe set to sail script on 'Sea' | publisher = "Variety" | date =2004-09-24 | url =http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117907013.html?categoryid=10&cs=1 | accessdate =2007-11-16]

In 1999, Burns also created Prometheus Entertainment, a company specializing in documentary, reality and non-fiction programming and specials. Here, Burns continued to produce, write and direct a wide variety of programming, most notably, the reality show "The Girls Next Door" on E! (about the adventures of "Playboy" founder Hugh Hefner's three live-in girlfriends) [cite news|title='The Girls Next Door' DVD For Release in January | publisher = Buddytv.com | date =2007-10-17 | url =http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-girls-next-door/the-girls-next-door-dvd-for-re-12570.aspx | accessdate =2007-11-16] , "High Maintenance 90210" [cite news|title=E! gets 'High Maintenance' | publisher = "Variety" | date =2006-12-13 | url =http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955739.html?categoryid=1071&cs=1 | accessdate =2007-11-16] , "Hollywood Science" for the National Geographic Channel. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816381/ IMDb credits, "Hollywood Science"] ] , "" [cite news|last=Ball| first=Ryan| title=History Channel Reveals Star Wars Legacy | publisher = animationmagazine.net | date =2007-05-03 | url =http://www.animationmagazine.net/article/6808 | accessdate =2007-11-16] , "Spider-Man Tech" [ [http://us.vdc.imdb.com/title/tt1024969/fullcredits IMDb credits, "Spider-Man Tech"] ] , "Food Paradise" and "Bridget's Beaches" (both for the Travel Channel).

In 2003, Burns received his first of two Emmy Awards as executive Producer for A&E's "Biography" series. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122745/awards IMDb awards credits, Kevin Burns] ] That same year, he was tapped by George Lucas and Lucasfilm to produce and direct the 150 minute documentary feature, '. [cite news|last=Falconer| first=Robert| title=Documentary Filmmaker Kevin Burns Talks Star Wars | publisher = Hollywoodnorthreporter.com | date =2004-10-08 | url =http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=485 | accessdate =2007-11-16] In 2005, he teamed up with "Superman Returns" director Bryan Singer to produce and direct '.

More recent specials include "Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest", "Batman Unmasked", "Batman Tech" and "The Valkyrie Legacy" (his second co-production with Bryan Singer).

Filmography

Producer

*"I Remember Barbra" (1981)
*"In Our Hands" (1982)
*"Meet Bertice" (1993)
*"" (Uncredited, 1994)
*"Biography" (167 episodes, 1995-2005)
*"The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen" (1995)
*"" (Uncredited, 1995)
*"A Hollywood Christmas" (1996)
*"" (Uncredited, 1996)
*"Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies" (1996)
*"Monster Mania" (1997)
*"Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults" (1997)
*"Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults" (1997)
*"Twentieth Century-Fox: The First 50 Years (1915-1965)" (1997)
*"Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood (1915-1970)" (1998)
*"Beyond Titanic" (1998)
*"Behind the Planet of the Apes" (1998)
*"Lost in Space Forever" (1998)
*"The Bunny Years" (1999)
*"Who Knew ?" (1999)
*"Bride of Monster Mania" (1999)
*"Attack of the 50 Foot Monster Mania" (1999)
*"Hollywood's Hot Wheels" (1999)
*"Hollywood Screen Tests" (1999)
*"Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 2" (1999)
*"Famous Families" (17 episodes, 1998-1999)
*"Hollywood at Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints" (2000)
*"The Fly Papers: The Buzz on Hollywood's Scariest Insect" (2000)
*"Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years (1965-2000)" (2000)
*"Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970)" (2000)
*"Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood" (2001)
*"Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days" (2001)
*"The Omen Legacy" (2001)
*"The Time Tunnel" (2002)
*"History vs. Hollywood" (16 episodes, 2001-2002)
*"Inside the Playboy Mansion" (2002)
*"Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s" (2002)
*"The Alien Saga" (2002)
*"Monsterama" (24 episodes)(2003)
*"Hell Up in Hollywood: Soul Cinema and the 1970s" (2003)
*"50 Greatest TV Animals" (2003)
*"Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest" (2003)
*"Sex at 24 Frames Per Second: The Ultimate Journey Through Sex in Cinema" (2003)
*"Playboy's 50th Anniversary Celebration" (2003)
*"The Robinsons: Lost in Space" (2004)
*"Just the Facts" (2004)
*"50 Greatest Movie Animals" (2004)
*"Love Hollywood Style" (2004)
*"Animal Icons" (17 episodes, 2004)
*"" (2004)
*"Backstory" (55 episodes, 2000-2005)
*"Ultimate Super Heroes" (2005)
*"Ultimate Super Villains" (2005)
*"Ultimate Super Vixens" (2005)
*"Poseidon" (2006)
*"Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman" (2006)
*"The Science of Superman" (2006)
*"Hollywood Science" (5 episodes, 2006)
*"High Maintenance 90210" (6 episodes, 2007)
*"Spider-Man Tech" (2007)
*"Star Wars Tech" (2007)
*"" (2007)
*"Star Warriors" (2007)
*"The Girls Next Door" (78 episodes, 2005-2009)
*"Food Paradise" (14 episodes, 2007-2008)
*"Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest" (2008)
*"Batman Unmasked" (2008)
*"Batman Tech" (2008)
*"Ladies or Gentlemen" (2008)
*"The Face is Familiar" (2008)
*"The Valkyrie Legacy" (2008)
*"Vegas Revolution" (6 episodes, 2008)
*"Bridget's Beaches" (13 episodes, 2008-2009)

Director

*"I Remember Barbra" (1981)
*"The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen" (1995)
*"Hugh Hefner: American Playboy" (1996)
*"A Hollywood Christmas" (1996)
*"Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies" (1996)
*"Monster Mania" (1997)
*"Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults" (1997)
*"20th Century-Fox: The First 50 Years" (1997)
*"Biography" (7 episodes, 1995-1997)
*"Hollywood Aliens & Monsters" (1997)
*"TV Guide Looks at Cops" (1998)
*"TV Guide Looks at Christmas" (1998)
*"Behind the Planet of the Apes" (1998)
*"Lost in Space Forever" (1998)
*"Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years" (2000)
*"Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970)" (2000)
*"Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood" (2001)
*"Playboy: Inside the Playboy Mansion" (2002)
*"" (2004)
*"" (2006)
*"" (2007)

Writer

*"The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen" (1995)
*"A Hollywood Christmas" (1996)
*"Monster Mania" (1997)
*"Twentieth Century-Fox: The First 50 Years" (1997)
*"Biography" (3 episodes, 1996-1997)
*"Behind the Planet of the Apes" (1998)
*"Lost in Space Forever" (1998)
*"Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years" (2000)
*"Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood" (2001)
*"Backstory" (2 episodes, 2000-2001)
*"Playboy: Inside the Playboy Mansion" (2002)
*"Monsterama: Munsters Collectibles" (2003)
*"Monsterama: Aurora Model Kits" (2003)
*"Just the Facts" (2004)
*"" (2007)

Awards and nominations

Primetime Emmy Awards
*Nominated: Outstanding Cultural Music-Dance Program, "Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies" (1996)
*Won: Outstanding Non-Fiction Series (Informational), "Biography" (2002)
*Nominated: Outstanding Nonfiction Series, "Biography" (2006)
*Nominated: Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming, "" (2007)
*Nominated: Outstanding Nonfiction Special, "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" (2007)
*Nominated: Outstanding Nonfiction Series, "Biography" (2007)
*Nominated: Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed" (2007)

DVD Exclusive Awards
*Nominated: Best New, Enhanced or Reconstructed Movie Scenes, "Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days" (2001)
*Won: Best Original Retrospective Documentary, *"Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood" (2001)
*Won: Best Behind the Scenes Program (New for DVD), "' (2005)

Daytime Emmy Awards
*Won: Outstanding Special Class Special, "Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s" (2003)

International Monitor Awards
*Won: Documentaries - Director, "Hollywood Aliens & Monsters" (1998)

Student Academy Awards, USA
*Won: Documentary, "I Remember Barbra" (1981)

References

External links

*imdb name|0122745
*tv.com person|221794|Kevin Burns