Jonathan Pontell is a television director, producer and editor.
A native of New York City, Pontell attended the School of Visual Arts, studying film and television. After graduation, he worked as a film editor on features such as The Exorcist and long-form documentaries for both CBS News and public television. [1]
In 1981 Pontell relocated to Los Angeles and edited episodic television series including Hill Street Blues, Hooperman, Northern Exposure , and Moonlighting . Working on L.A. Law , he began a 19-year association with David E. Kelley. Pontell served as director and producer on Picket Fences and The Practice . From 1997 to 2000, he also directed multiple episodes of Ally McBeal . Pontell produced and directed for David E. Kelley on Boston Public from 2000 to 2004. He was an executive producer of Kelley's first reality program, The Law Firm . He was also the director and executive producer for the ABC series What About Brian? [1]
Pontell has received multiple awards, including four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and two George Foster Peabody Awards. [1]
Legally Mad (TV pilot)
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy drama television series, originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002. Created by David E. Kelley, the series stars Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish, with other lawyers whose lives and loves are eccentric, humorous, and dramatic. The series received critical acclaim in its early seasons, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 1998 and 1999, and also winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999. As of August 2021, a revival is in development over at ABC.
Steven Ronald Bochco Masterson was an American television writer and producer. He developed a number of television series, including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Doogie Howser, M.D., Cop Rock, and NYPD Blue.
David Edward Kelley is an American television writer, producer, and former attorney, known as the creator of Doogie Howser, M.D., Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Boston Legal, Harry's Law, Goliath, Big Little Lies, Mr. Mercedes, Big Sky, and Nine Perfect Strangers as well as several films. Kelley is one of very few screenwriters to have created shows that have aired on all four top commercial U.S. television networks as well as cable giant HBO.
Comedy drama is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. As such, it is also known by the portmanteau dramedy. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical hour-long legal or medical drama, but exhibit far fewer jokes-per-minute as in a typical half-hour sitcom.
Boston Legal is an American legal drama and comedy drama television series created by former lawyer and Boston native David E. Kelley, produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The series aired from October 3, 2004, to December 8, 2008. The series stars James Spader, William Shatner and Candice Bergen. It is a direct spin-off and continuation of the TV series The Practice, with several characters from the eighth season of that series moving to Boston Legal. While never a Nielsen ratings smash hit, the show was critically acclaimed, receiving 26 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, including for Outstanding Drama Series in 2007 and 2008.
Philip "Fyvush" Finkel was an American actor known as a star of Yiddish theater and for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television series Picket Fences, for which he earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1994. He is also known for his portrayal of Harvey Lipschultz, a crotchety history teacher, on the television series Boston Public.
Katherine Whitton Baker is an American actress. Baker began her career in theater and made her screen debut in the 1983 drama film The Right Stuff. She received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Street Smart (1987). Baker also has appeared in over 50 films, including Jacknife (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Cider House Rules (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), Nine Lives (2005), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Take Shelter (2011), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), and The Age of Adaline (2015).
Arlene Sanford is an American film and television director.
Osborne Scott is an American film director, television director, television producer and theatre director. He is most known for Mr. Boogedy, the award-winning short film.
William D'Elia is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.
Melvin Damski is an American director and producer of film and television.
The 51st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 12, 1999. The ceremony show was hosted by Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce. It was broadcast on Fox.
Ron Lagomarsino is an American film, theatre and television director.
Sandy Smolan is an American feature film, television, and documentary film director.
The first season of the television series Ally McBeal began airing in the United States on September 8, 1997, concluded on May 18, 1998, and consisted of 23 episodes. It tells the story of Ally McBeal, a young lawyer who found herself without a job after being sexually harassed by her boss, only to end up employed by her friend from college, Richard Fish, to work in the firm he created with his friend John Cage, named "Cage & Fish".
Dennis L. Smith is an American television cinematographer, director and former camera operator. Dennis began his career as a news photojournalists for ABC winning United Press InternatIonal and Associated Press "Best Newsfilm of the Year" awards for his Documentaries. He also contributed to winning two George Foster Peabody's from the University of Georgia.
Steve Robin is an American television director and producer best known for his work with television producer David E. Kelley.
Joseph Ralph Napolitano was an American television director who worked on multiple episodic series. He previously was a film assistant director.
Jeff Melvoin is an American television writer, producer, and educator. He has written dozens and produced hundreds of one-hour episodes on over a dozen television series.