Bill D'Elia

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Bill D'Elia
Born
William D'Elia

Education
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • Producer
  • Director
  • Actor
Years active1989–present
SpouseEllie Dombroski
Children

William D'Elia is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.

Contents

Life

D'Elia grew up in Queens, New York City, and is a second generation Italian-American. [1] He graduated from Ithaca College, and earned a master's degree in communication arts from William Paterson University in 1972.

D'Elia has two sons with his wife, Ellie Dombroski: actor and comedian Chris D'Elia, and filmmaker Matt D'Elia.

Career

In the 1980s, D'Elia was a director of television commercials. In 1989, he independently produced and directed the film The Feud, based on the 1983 novel by Thomas Berger. The film attracted the attention of Steven Bochco, who hired D'Elia to direct an episode of Doogie Howser, M.D. . D'Elia went on to direct episodes of numerous other television series including Northern Exposure , Glee , Chicago Hope , Ally McBeal , The Practice , Boston Legal , and The West Wing . D'Elia was an executive producer and a director of Chicago Hope , Boston Legal , Ally McBeal , Harry's Law , Monday Mornings , The Crazy Ones (all collaborations with David E. Kelley), and the Shonda Rhimes series How To Get Away With Murder. He also co-created the series Judging Amy . He is currently[ as of? ] an executive producer and a director for the Disney+ series Big Shot starring John Stamos.

Awards

D'Elia has been nominated for a total of eight Emmy Awards  – four as director and four as executive producer: Chicago Hope (two for producing, one for directing); one for directing Ally McBeal; and two each for producing and directing Boston Legal.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleFunctioned asNotes
Director Producer Writer
1989The FeudYesYesYes
1995Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West StoryYesNoNoTelevision film
1995 In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy YesNoNoTelevision film
1996The Tomorrow ManYesNoNoTelevision film
2011American AnimalNoYesNo

Television

YearTitleFunctioned asNotes
Director Producer Writer
1992 Law & Order YesNoNo"Forgiveness" (Season 3, Episode 3)
1991–1993 Doogie Howser, M.D. YesNoNo"My Two Dads" (Season 2, Episode 18)
"Double Doogie with Cheese" (Season 3, Episode 15)
"Spell It 'M-A-N'" (Season 4, Episode 14)
1991–1993 Reasonable Doubts YesNoNo"...and Sleep Won't Come" (Season 1, Episode 5)
"Home Is Where the Heart Is" (Season 1, Episode 18)
"Mercury in Retrograde" (Season 2, Episode 5)
"Trust Me on This: Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 22)
"Trust Me on This: Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 23)
1991–1994 Northern Exposure YesNoNo"War and Peace" (Season 2, Episode 6)
"Only You" (Season 3, Episode 2)
"A-Hunting We Will Go" (Season 3, Episode 8)
"Northern Lights" (Season 4, Episode 18)
"Fish Story" (Season 5, Episode 18)
1992–1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 YesNoNo"Baby Makes Five" (Season 2, Episode 22)
"Back in the High Life Again" (Season 3, Episode 19)
"So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye" (Season 4, Episode 1)
1993 Harts of the West YesNoNo"The Right Stuff" (Season 1, Episode 2)
"Goodnight Irene" (Season 1, Episode 5)
"Jake's Brother" (Season 1, Episode 8)
1993–1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman YesNoNo"Pheromone, My Lovely" (Season 1, Episode 10)
"Foundling" (Season 1, Episode 16)
"The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12)
1994 Picket Fences YesNoNo"Abominable Snowman" (Season 2, Episode 13)
"Away in the Manger" (Season 3, Episode 10)
1995 Courthouse YesYesNoAll episodes
1996Time Well SpentYesNoNoPilot only
1996–2000 Chicago Hope YesYesNo Season 36
1999 Get Real YesNoNo"Performance Anxiety" (Season 1, Episode 6)
1999–2004 The West Wing YesNoNo"The Short List" (Season 1, Episode 9)
"Guns Not Butter" (Season 4, Episode 12)
"The Warfare of Genghis Khan" (Season 5, Episode 13)
1999–2005 Judging Amy NoNoYesAll episodes
2000–2002 Ally McBeal YesYesNo Season 45
2002 American Dreams YesNoNo"Soldier Boy" (Season 1, Episode 6)
2002 Saturday Night Live YesNoNo"Al Gore/Phish" (Season 28, Episode 8)
2003 Queens Supreme YesNoNoAll episodes
2003 The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire YesYesNo"Sleeping Lions" (Season 1, Episode 4)
2003 Miracles YesYesNo"Saint Debbie" (Season 1, Episode 10)
2003111 Gramercy ParkYesNoNoPilot only
2004 The Practice YesYesNo"The Case Against Alan Shore" (Season 8, Episode 18)
"The Firm" (Season 8, Episode 19)
"Comings and Goings" (Season 8, Episode 20)
"New Hoods on the Block" (Season 8, Episode 21)
"Adjourned" (Season 8, Episode 22)
2004–2008 Boston Legal YesYesNoAll episodes as producer
17 episodes as director
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent YesNoNo"Rock Star" (Season 8, Episode 2)
2009 Eastwick YesNoNo"Mooning and Crooning" (Season 1, Episode 5)
2009 Glee YesNoNo"Hairography" (Season 1, Episode 11)
2009–2019 Grey's Anatomy YesNoNo"Here's to Future Days" (Season 5, Episode 23)
"Goodbye" (Season 6, Episode 2)
"Perfect Little Accident" (Season 6, Episode 16)
"Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right" (Season 10, Episode 23)
"Fear" (Season 10, Episode 24)
”1-800-799-7233” (Season 14, Episode 9)
”Cold As Ice” (Season 14, Episode 23)
”Good Shepherd“ (Season 15, Episode 21)
2010 The Mentalist YesNoNo"Redline" (Season 2, Episode 13)
2011 Wonder Woman NoYesNoPilot only
2011–2012 Harry's Law YesYesNoAll episodes as producer
7 episodes as director
2013 Monday Mornings YesYesNoAll episodes as producer
4 episodes as director
2013Chris D'Elia: White Male. Black ComicYesNoNoSpecial television
2013–2014 The Crazy Ones YesYesNoAll episodes
2014 Manhattan YesNoNo"A New Approach to Nuclear Cosmology" (Season 1, Episode 5)
2014–2020 How to Get Away with Murder YesYesNoAll episodes as producer
11 episodes as director
2015Chris D'Elia IncorrigibleYesNoNoSpecial television
2015–2016 Blunt Talk YesNoNo3 episodes as director
2016 The Catch YesNoNo"The Package" (Season 1, Episode 8)
2016 Goliath YesNoNo"Game On" (Season 1, Episode 3)
2017Chris D'Elia: Man on FireYesYesNoSpecial television
2018 The Good Doctor YesNoNo2 episodes as director
2018 The Resident YesNoNo"Identity Crisis" (Season 1, Episode 3)
2019 Grand Hotel YesYesNo2 episodes as director
2021-2022 Big Shot YesYesNo

As actor

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011 My Date with Drew HimselfDocumentary

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Superintendent Across the Hall"The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12)
1995 Courthouse Judge Wilson"Order on the Court " (Season 1, Episode 4)
2002 Ally McBeal 'A Chorus Line' Producer"What I'll Never Do for Love Again" (Season 5, Episode 20)

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References

  1. Martin, Babara E. (Winter 2001). "Bill D' Elia: Hollywood Storyteller". WP: The Magazine of William Paterson University. Archived from the original on December 30, 2001. Retrieved July 18, 2014.