'Gidget' Producer Sackheim Dies at 84 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jenya · 12-07-2004, 04:56 PM

'Gidget' Producer Sackheim Dies at 84

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tuesday December 07, 2004

LOS ANGELES - Emmy winner William Sackheim, who produced television shows including "Gidget," and "The Flying Nun," and co-wrote the first "Rambo" movie, has died. He was 84.

Sackheim died of a degenerative brain disease Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, his family said.

Sackheim won Emmys for producing an episode of "The Alcoa/Goodyear Theatre" (1959) and the TV movie "The Law" (1975).

He produced several early TV movies, including "The Impatient Heart," starring Carrie Snodgress; "The Neon Ceiling," starring Gig Young and Lee Grant; "A Clear and Present Danger," starring Hal Holbrook; and "The Harness," starring Lorne Greene.

He co-produced films including "The In-Laws," "Pacific Heights" and "The Hard Way." He also co-wrote "First Blood," the first in the "Rambo" series, and produced and co-wrote the story for "The Competition."

As a television producer in the mid-1960s, he gave a young actress named Sally Field the chance to star in the "Gidget" series. Sackheim also hired the young Steven Spielberg to direct Joan Crawford in the 1969 pilot of "Night Gallery," a Rod Serling TV series.

He gave actor Judd Hirsch a big break by casting him in the 1974 TV movie "The Law," which he co-wrote and which served as the pilot for a 1975 miniseries.

Hirsch then starred in the series "Delvecchio," a 1976-77 police drama, which Sackheim executive-produced.

Sackheim is survived by his wife of 54 years, JoAnne; two sons, Daniel, a producer and Emmy-winning TV director, and Drew, a fashion photographer; and two grandchildren.

SOURCE: Yahoo News

12-07-2004, 04:56 PM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	'Gidget' Producer Sackheim Dies at 84 'Gidget' Producer Sackheim Dies at 84 ASSOCIATED PRESS Tuesday December 07, 2004 LOS ANGELES - Emmy winner William Sackheim, who produced television shows including "Gidget," and "The Flying Nun," and co-wrote the first "Rambo" movie, has died. He was 84. Sackheim died of a degenerative brain disease Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, his family said. Sackheim won Emmys for producing an episode of "The Alcoa/Goodyear Theatre" (1959) and the TV movie "The Law" (1975). He produced several early TV movies, including "The Impatient Heart," starring Carrie Snodgress; "The Neon Ceiling," starring Gig Young and Lee Grant; "A Clear and Present Danger," starring Hal Holbrook; and "The Harness," starring Lorne Greene. He co-produced films including "The In-Laws," "Pacific Heights" and "The Hard Way." He also co-wrote "First Blood," the first in the "Rambo" series, and produced and co-wrote the story for "The Competition." As a television producer in the mid-1960s, he gave a young actress named Sally Field the chance to star in the "Gidget" series. Sackheim also hired the young Steven Spielberg to direct Joan Crawford in the 1969 pilot of "Night Gallery," a Rod Serling TV series. He gave actor Judd Hirsch a big break by casting him in the 1974 TV movie "The Law," which he co-wrote and which served as the pilot for a 1975 miniseries. Hirsch then starred in the series "Delvecchio," a 1976-77 police drama, which Sackheim executive-produced. Sackheim is survived by his wife of 54 years, JoAnne; two sons, Daniel, a producer and Emmy-winning TV director, and Drew, a fashion photographer; and two grandchildren. SOURCE: Yahoo News