'Little House' Producer Ed Friendly 85, has died - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-20-2007, 08:33 AM

Producer Ed Friendly, who brought the hit series "Laugh-In" and "Little House on the Prairie" to television, died of cancer Sunday in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He was 85.
With George Schlatter, Friendly co-created and exec produced the influential '60s pop culture show "Laugh-In," which won multiple Emmys for outstanding variety series, writing and acting.

Friendly credited his first wife Natalie Coulsen Brooks, who died in 2002, with helping him secure rights to Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie" books, which launched as an NBC series in 1974 and ran until 1983.

Born in New York, the WWII vet got his start in advertising at Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn as a radio and TV director. He moved on from there to ABC as director of sales, to CBS as a contract producer, and eventually to NBC as VP of special programs.

Moving to California, he created Ed Friendly Productions, under which he also produced programs including "The Young Pioneers," "Backstairs at the White House," which garnered 11 Emmy noms, "The Flame is Love" and "Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion."

He was co-chairman and served on the steering committee of the Caucus of Producers, Directors and Writers and was named Producer of the Year by the Producer's Guild.

An avid horseman who bought his first horse with actor Lorne Greene, Friendly owned an average 60 thoroughbreds a year and raced numerous champions.

He is survived by his second wife, Paula Reddish Zinnemann; daughter Brooke Friendly; son Edwin S. Friendly III ("Trip"), an entertainment exec; and three grandchildren.

catlover79 · 06-22-2007, 09:27 PM

Now that he's gone, I wonder what will happen to the LHOP rights (he owned them). Will his estate keep control of it, or will the family sell them??

ThomasE · 10-09-2007, 12:30 AM

I hope that his family is coping well. I hope that all gets cleared up with his business matters.

Ireneparalegal · 10-09-2007, 10:58 PM

Oh this is sad news. How did I miss this thread before?

What a life he had and gave us such a legacy as far as tv shows. Thank you Ed for LHOTP! May you R.I.P.

06-20-2007, 08:33 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'Little House' Producer Ed Friendly 85, has died Producer Ed Friendly, who brought the hit series "Laugh-In" and "Little House on the Prairie" to television, died of cancer Sunday in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He was 85. With George Schlatter, Friendly co-created and exec produced the influential '60s pop culture show "Laugh-In," which won multiple Emmys for outstanding variety series, writing and acting. Friendly credited his first wife Natalie Coulsen Brooks, who died in 2002, with helping him secure rights to Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie" books, which launched as an NBC series in 1974 and ran until 1983. Born in New York, the WWII vet got his start in advertising at Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn as a radio and TV director. He moved on from there to ABC as director of sales, to CBS as a contract producer, and eventually to NBC as VP of special programs. Moving to California, he created Ed Friendly Productions, under which he also produced programs including "The Young Pioneers," "Backstairs at the White House," which garnered 11 Emmy noms, "The Flame is Love" and "Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion." He was co-chairman and served on the steering committee of the Caucus of Producers, Directors and Writers and was named Producer of the Year by the Producer's Guild. An avid horseman who bought his first horse with actor Lorne Greene, Friendly owned an average 60 thoroughbreds a year and raced numerous champions. He is survived by his second wife, Paula Reddish Zinnemann; daughter Brooke Friendly; son Edwin S. Friendly III ("Trip"), an entertainment exec; and three grandchildren.
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06-22-2007, 09:27 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Now that he's gone, I wonder what will happen to the LHOP rights (he owned them). Will his estate keep control of it, or will the family sell them??
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10-09-2007, 12:30 AM	#3
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I hope that his family is coping well. I hope that all gets cleared up with his business matters.
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10-09-2007, 10:58 PM	#4
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Oh this is sad news. How did I miss this thread before? What a life he had and gave us such a legacy as far as tv shows. Thank you Ed for LHOTP! May you R.I.P.
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