Bruce Geller
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Bruce Bernard Geller (October 13, 1930 – May 21, 1978) was an American lyricist, screenwriter, director, and television producer.
Early life and education
Geller was born in New York City, the son of Dorothy (née Friedlander) and General Sessions Judge Abraham N. Geller.[1] Geller graduated from Yale University in 1952, where he had studied psychology and sociology and was involved in many activities including theater.[2]
Career
He pursued a career writing scripts for shows on the DuMont Television Network including Jimmy Hughes, Rookie Cop (1953) and others. He also wrote the book and lyrics for musical theatre productions including Livin' the Life (1957) and All in Love (1961), but his efforts met with only modest success. Geller left New York for Los Angeles, where he was employed writing scripts for episodes of several television series, including Zane Grey Theater, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Rebel, and The Rifleman. He also worked as the co-executive producer of the Rawhide series for the 1964-1965 television season.
While producing Rawhide, he developed the idea for a new "cloak-and-dagger" series, Mission: Impossible.[2] In 1966, Geller created, wrote, produced, and directed Mission: Impossible, the accomplishment for which he is best remembered. The show ran on CBS from 1966 to 1973 and earned him an Emmy Award in 1966 as producer plus another for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama. During the early seasons, a photograph of Geller was included in the dossier of Impossible Missions Force (IMF) agents that IMF leaders Briggs and Phelps perused each week and was often visible on screen (such as in the episodes "Memory", "Operation Rogosh" and "Operation - Heart"). The series was revived in 1988 and aired until 1990 on ABC.
Geller also wrote, produced, and directed for the series Mannix (1967–1975), which was twice nominated for an Emmy Award. In 1973, he made his only venture into feature films, producing and directing Harry in Your Pocket starring James Coburn and Walter Pidgeon.
Death
A flying enthusiast, Bruce Geller died on May 21, 1978 when the Cessna Skymaster he was piloting ran into fog and crashed into Buena Vista Canyon near Santa Barbara, California.[3] He is interred in the Jewish Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Accolades
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Anthology Drama, 30 Minutes in Length | The DuPont Show with June Allyson: "The Trench Coat" | Nominated |
| 1962 | Episodic Drama | The Westerner: "Brown" | Nominated | |
| 1964 | Anthology, Any Length | The Dick Powell Show: "The Judge" | Nominated | |
| 1965 | Bronze Wrangler | Fictional Television Drama | Rawhide: "Corporal Dasovic" | Won |
| 1967 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Dramatic Series | Mission: Impossible | Won |
| Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama | Won | |||
| 1969 | Outstanding Dramatic Series | Nominated | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Episodic Drama | Mannix: "The Name is Mannix" | Nominated | |
| 1972 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Mannix | Nominated |
| 1973 | Nominated |
References
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- ↑ a b "Finding Aid for the Bruce Geller Papers, 1957-1976", UCLA Performing Arts Special Collection/Online Archive of California (California Digital Library)
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External links
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- Template:Trim/ Bruce Geller at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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- Pages with script errors
- 1930 births
- 1978 deaths
- American male screenwriters
- Television producers from New York City
- American musical theatre lyricists
- American television show creators
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
- Yale University alumni
- Accidental deaths in California
- Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- Songwriters from New York (state)
- Screenwriters from New York City
- 20th-century American male writers
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1978
- 20th-century American screenwriters
- 20th-century American songwriters