Brandon Stoddard

Brandon Stoddard (March 31, 1937 – December 22, 2014) was an American television executive. He was president of ABC Entertainment between 1985–89 and head of ABC Productions between 1989–1995.[1][2] He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[3]

Brandon Stoddard
Born
Brandon B. Stoddard

(1937-03-31)March 31, 1937
Bridgeport, Connecticut, US
DiedDecember 22, 2014(2014-12-22) (aged 77)
Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States
Spouse(s)Alexandra Green Johns (29 July 1961 – 1974; 2 children)
Mary Ann Dolan (February 1984 – 22 December 2014)

Early life

Brandon Stoddard was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in on March 31, 1937. His parents were Johnson Stoddard, a lawyer, and Constance Stoddard. He grew up in Southport.[4] He played guitar in a calypso band. He attended Deerfield Academy and graduated from Yale College in 1958.[5][6] In the summer of 1958, he was a member of a Yale thespian group that toured Europe for two months, which included a month of performances at army bases.[7] He studied at Columbia Law School.[4]

Career

Brandon Stoddard started his career in ABC Studios in 1970 as the director of daytime programming,[5] he led the network's motion picture division and president of ABC Entertainment from 1985 to 1989. During his tenure as the head of ABC entertainment shows such as Roseanne, The Wonder Years and Thirtysomething were created.[4] He was responsible for the creation of TV movies like Friendly Fire and The Day After. He worked to develop the miniseries in American television. Miniseries included The Thorn Birds (1983), The Winds of War (1983), and Amerika.[4] His most successful show was the miniseries Roots based on Alex Haley's novel.[4] From 1989 to 1995 he was the president of the first in-house production company in ABC producing shows like My So-Called Life.[5] After leaving ABC he worked as an adjunct professor at University of Southern California’s School for Cinema and Television, teaching graduate students for ten years.[8]

Personal life

He was married twice. His first wife was Alexandra Stoddard, with whom he had two daughters: journalist A. B. Stoddard and Brooke Stoddard. His second wife was Mary Anne Dolan.[4]

Death and legacy

In March 2014, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.[9] He died of bladder cancer at Bel-Air, California in 2014.[2]

References
  1. Littleton, Cynthia (23 December 2014). "Brandon Stoddard, ABC Exec Who Shepherded 'Roots,' Dies at 77". Variety. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  2. "Brandon Stoddard dies at 77; ABC exec behind 'Roots,' 'Thorn Birds'". Los Angeles Times. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  3. Current Biography Yearbook 1989. 1990-01-01.
  4. Weber, Bruce (2014-12-23). "Brandon Stoddard, 77, ABC Executive Who Brought 'Roots' to TV, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  5. "Brandon Stoddard, Former ABC Entertainment President, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  6. Colker, David; Collins, Scott (2014-12-25). "Brandon Stoddard, ABC executive who developed 'Roots' miniseries, dies at 77". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  7. "Yale Thespians Fly to Europe Tomorrow", The Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, Connecticut, volume LXXV, number 163, July 14, 1958, page 6. (subscription required)
  8. Pedersen, Erik (23 December 2014). "Brandon Stoddard Dies: Ex-ABC Exec Helped Develop 'Roots', 'Schoolhouse Rock'". Deadline. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  9. "Brandon Stoddard Dead at 77". www.broadcastingcable.com. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 2016-03-18.


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