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Kevin S. Bright | |
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 Bright in 2016 | |
| Born | November 15, 1954 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Television producer and director |
| Notable work | Dream On Friends |
Kevin S. Bright (born November 15, 1954) is an American television executive producer and director. He is best known as the showrunner of the sitcoms Dream On and Friends . [1]
Born to a Jewish-American family [2] [3] in New York City, Bright attended the East Side Hebrew Institute on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and graduated magna cum laude from Emerson College.
Bright started his professional career under the tutelage of his father, Jackie Bright.[ citation needed ] After graduation, he worked in New York with Joseph Cates, where he produced specials for George Burns, Johnny Cash, David Copperfield, and Dolly Parton. After moving to Los Angeles in 1982, he started work in comedy programming such as The History of White People in America and comedy specials starring Robin Williams, Martin Mull, Harry Shearer, Paul Shaffer, and Merrill Markoe.
In 1993, Bright entered a partnership with Marta Kauffman and David Crane to form Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions and began a development deal with Warner Bros. Television to produce the comedy series Friends . He also directed 60 episodes of the series, including the series finale. After Friends, he went on to executive-produce the spin-off series Joey with Friends producers Shana Goldberg-Meehan and Scott Silveri. Joey starred Friends actor Matt LeBlanc as the title character and featured Jennifer Coolidge, also an Emerson College attendee. Joey was cancelled on May 15, 2006, during its second season after a major ratings slump.
After Joey, Bright moved back to Boston where he began working at his alma mater, Emerson College. Over the last four years at Emerson, he executive produced three-sketch comedy shows, Zebro: A Laugh Show and Chocolate Cake City, four original half-hour situation comedies, Browne At Midnight, Saturdays, Ground Floor, and Record Cellar, and a live multi-cam stand-up comedy special, Die Laughing. He also serves as an advisor to The EVVY Awards.
Bright then went on to teach a series of television production classes in the Visual Media Arts department, and helped develop the program for Emerson's new LA Center, which opened in 2013. Kevin ran a diversity workshop for high school students through Emerson College, and worked with Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, to develop a method of teaching television production to the blind.
Bright moved back to Los Angeles in 2013, when he was appointed as Founding Director of the Emerson Los Angeles program. There, he has focused on building new programs that take full advantage of the opportunities Emerson's expanded presence in Los Angeles provides. He directed a documentary in 2007 with Linda Feferman called Who Ordered Tax? about his father, Jackie, who was an actor and vaudevillian performer.
In 2016, Bright served as the executive producer of the documentary Best and Most Beautiful Things about Michelle Smith, a woman from Bangor, Maine who is both legally blind and autistic. Bright also directed on CBS comedy Man with a Plan in 2019 for one episode, reuniting with Friends alum Matt LeBlanc.
In 2024, Bright served as an executive producer of the documentary My Own Normal about Alexander Freeman, a filmmaker from Newton, Massachusetts who has cerebral palsy, following his journey of becoming a partner and father and confronting the pain of his parent's reaction. The documentary premiered at Independent Film Festival Boston. [4]
Bright lives with his wife, Claudia Wilsey Bright in Saratoga Springs, New York. [5]
| Year | Title | Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Portrait of a White Marriage | Producer | Feature film |
| 2007 | Who Ordered Tax? | Executive Producer/Director | Short film |
| 2016 | Best and Most Beautiful Things | Executive Producer | Documentary |
| 2016 | Jack Krash: Slave to Rock | Executive Producer | Short film |
| 2017 | The Lion | Executive Producer/Director | Feature film |
| 2024 | My Own Normal | Executive Producer | Documentary |
| Year | Title | Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Magic of David Copperfield II | Associate Producer | Television Special |
| 1979 | Johnny Cash Christmas | Associate Producer | Television Movie |
| 1980 | The Magic of David Copperfield III: Levitating Ferrari | Associate Producer | Television Special |
| 1981 | Johnny Cash and the Country Girls | Associate Producer | Television Movie |
| 1982 | Magic with the Stars | Associate Producer | Television Movie |
| 1982 | Madame's Place | Associate Producer | Associate Producer of 51 episodes |
| 1983 | Movie Blockbusters: The 15 Greatest Hits of All Time | Associate Producer | Television Documentary |
| 1984 | The Magic of David Copperfield VI: Floating Over the Grand Canyond | Producer | Television Special |
| 1985 | The Magic of David Copperfield VII: Familiares | Producer | Television Special |
| 1985 | FTV | Producer | Episode: "11.23.85" |
| 1985 | The Star Games | Producer | unknown episode |
| 1986 | George Burns' 90th Birthday Party: A Very Special Special | Associate Producer | Television Special |
| 1986 | FTV | Producer | Episode: "2.7.86" |
| 1986 | The Magic of David Copperfield: China | Producer | Television Special |
| 1986 | The Young Comedians All-Star Reunion | Producer | Television Special |
| 1986 | Viva Shaf Vegas | Producer | Television Movie |
| 1987 | This Week Indoors | Producer | Television Movie |
| 1987 | Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio | Producer | Television Special |
| 1988 | The Magic of David Copperfield 10: The Bermuda Triangle | Producer | Television Special |
| 1988 | Harry Shearer...The Magic of Love | Producer/Executive Producer | Television Special |
| 1988 | Merrill Markoe's Guide to Glamorous Living | Producer/Executive Producer | Television Movie |
| 1990 | The American Film Institute Presents: TV or Not TV? | Producer | Television Movie |
| 1990 | In Living Color | Supervising Producer | Supervising Producer of 11 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series (1990) |
| 1990 | The Late Mr. Pete Show | Executive Producer/Writer | unknown episode |
| 1990–1991 | Haywire | Co-Executive Producer | Co-Executive Producer of 2 episodes |
| 1990–1992 | Totally Hidden Video | Co-Executive Producer | Co-Executive Producer of 9 episodes |
| 1990–1996 | Dream On | Executive Producer/Director | Executive Producer of 105 episodes Writer of 3 episodes CableACE Award for Comedy Series (1992) Nominated - CableACE Award for Comedy Series (1991, 1993–1995) |
| 1991 | The Ron Reagan Show | Executive Producer | Executive Producer of 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Family Album | Executive Producer/Writer | Executive Producer of 6 episodes Writer of 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Couples | Executive Producer | Television Movie |
| 1994 | The Adventures of Brisco Country Jr. | Writer | Episode: "And Baby Makes Three" |
| 1994–2004 | Friends | Executive Producer/Director | Executive Producer of 236 episodes Director of 54 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (2002) Nominated - Gold Derby Award for Episode of the Year for episode "The Last One (Part 1 & 2)" (2004) Nominated - Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Direction in a Comedy Series (2002) Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003) |
| 1995 | The News Hole | Executive Producer | unknown episode |
| 1997–2000 | Veronica's Closet | Executive Producer/Director | Executive Producer of 66 episodes Writer of 2 episodes |
| 1998–2000 | Jesse | Executive Producer/Director | Executive Producer of 34 episodes Writer of 5 episodes |
| 2001 | DAG | Director | Episode: "The Triangle Report" |
| 2002 | Romeo Fire | Executive Producer | Television Movie |
| 2003 | The Tracy Morgan Show | Director | Episode: "Haircut Night" |
| 2004–2006 | Joey | Executive Producer/Director | Executive Producer of 46 episodes Writer of 19 episodes |
| 2006 | Chabad Telethon | Consulting Producer | Television Movie |
| 2006 | Love, Inc. | Director | Episode: "Fired Up" |
| 2007 | Chabad Telethon | Consulting Producer | Television Movie |
| 2017 | Independent Lens | Executive Producer | Episode: "Best and Most Beautiful Things" |
| 2017 | Long Day's Journey Into Night: Live | Executive Producer | Television Movie |
| 2019 | Man with a Plan | Director | Episode: "Adam Acts His Age" |
| 2021 | Friends: The Reunion | Producer | Television special |
Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, the show revolves around six friends in their 20s and early 30s who live in Manhattan, New York City. The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright, Kauffman, and Crane.
Dream On is an American sitcom television series created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane. It follows the family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor played by Brian Benben. The show distinctively interjected clips from older black-and-white television series to punctuate Tupper's feelings or thoughts. It ran for six seasons on HBO between July 8, 1990, and March 27, 1996.
Joey is an American sitcom created by Scott Silveri and Shana Goldberg-Meehan. It is a spin-off to Friends, with Matt LeBlanc reprising his role as Joey Tribbiani. It premiered on NBC on September 9, 2004. Midway through the second season, the show was placed on a hiatus but returned on March 7, 2006. Only one more episode aired before the show was pulled. NBC canceled the series due to low ratings in May 2006.
"The Pilot" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American television sitcom Friends. The episode premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. It was written by the show's creators, David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and directed by James Burrows. The pilot introduces six twenty-something friends who live and work in New York City: Monica Geller, a single sous chef in her mid 20s who is illegally subletting her grandmother's apartment; Ross Geller, Monica's older brother, a paleontologist whose marriage recently ended after he learned his wife, Carol, is a lesbian; Rachel Green, Monica's spoiled, self-centered, high-school best friend who has just left her fiancé at the altar and is financially cut off by her father; Chandler Bing, Ross's college roommate and best friend who lives across the hall from Monica; Joey Tribbiani, a struggling Italian-American actor and Chandler's roommate; and Phoebe Buffay, a laid-back, hippie-ish masseuse, singer and guitar player.
Phoebe Buffay is one of the six main characters from the American television sitcom, Friends. She was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and portrayed by actress Lisa Kudrow.
"The One with the Prom Video" is the fourteenth episode of the second season, and the 38th episode overall, of the American television situation comedy Friends, which first aired on NBC on February 1, 1996. The episode focuses on the main characters watching Monica and Rachel getting ready for their high-school prom in the titular video. A subplot sees Joey having increased income, buying roommate Chandler an unusual gift.
Marta Fran Kauffman is an American television writer and producer. She is best known as the co-creator of the NBC sitcom Friends with her longtime friend, David Crane; Crane and Kauffman similarly were in a friend group with four other people. Both Kauffman and Crane were also executive producers of the show, along with Kevin Bright. Kauffman and Crane produced Veronica's Closet and Jesse. From 2005 to 2006 she was an executive producer on Related. Both writers were the creators of the HBO series Dream On. Without Crane, she co-created the Netflix series Grace and Frankie.
"The One with the Morning After" is the sixteenth episode of the third season of the American television situation comedy Friends and 64th overall, which aired on NBC on February 20, 1997. The plot, which is darker than most Friends episodes, centers on Ross dealing with the repercussions of sleeping with another woman hours after he and Rachel took a break.
"The One with the Embryos" is the twelfth episode of Friends' fourth season. It first aired on the NBC network in the United States on January 15, 1998. In the episode, Phoebe agrees to be the surrogate mother for her brother Frank Jr. and his older wife Alice Knight. Meanwhile, a display by Chandler and Joey of how well they know Monica and Rachel by guessing the items in their shopping bag leads to a large-scale bet on a quiz, for which Ross acts as the gamemaster.
"The One with Ross's Wedding" is the two-part fourth-season finale of the American television sitcom Friends, comprising the 96th and 97th episodes of the series overall. Originally broadcast by NBC on May 7, 1998, the episode features Ross, Monica, Joey, Chandler and later Rachel travelling to England to attend the wedding of Ross Geller to his fiancée Emily in London. Ross and Emily's wedding vows are ruined when Ross accidentally says "I, Ross, take thee Rachel"; as the registrar asks Emily if he should continue, the episode ends on a cliffhanger until the season 5 premiere "The One After Ross Says Rachel". The episode also introduces Chandler and Monica's romantic relationship after they impulsively have a one-night stand. Lisa Kudrow won an Emmy Award for her work in the episode.
"The Last One", also known as "The One Where They Say Goodbye", is the series finale of the American sitcom Friends. The episode serves as the seventeenth and eighteenth episode of the tenth season, and the 235th and the 236th episode overall; the episode's two parts were classified as two separate episodes. It was written by series creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and directed by executive producer Kevin S. Bright. The series finale first aired on NBC in the United States on May 6, 2004, when it was watched by 52.5 million viewers, making it the most watched entertainment telecast in six years and the fifth most watched overall television series finale in U.S. history as well as the most watched episode from any television series throughout the decade 2000s on U.S. television. In Canada, the finale aired simultaneously on May 6, 2004, on Global, and was viewed by 5.16 million viewers, becoming the second-highest viewed episode of the series.
"The One Hundredth" is the third episode of Friends' fifth season and 100th episode overall. It first aired on the NBC network in the United States on October 8, 1998. Continuing from the previous episode, the group arrive at the hospital after Phoebe goes into labor and gives birth to her half brother Frank's and his wife Alice's triplets. Meanwhile, Rachel tries to set Monica and herself up with two male nurses, which causes problems between Monica and Chandler, and Ross supports Joey as he experiences kidney stones.
"The One with All the Thanksgivings" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of Friends. It first aired on the NBC network in the United States on November 19, 1998. In the episode, the main characters spend Thanksgiving at Monica's apartment and begin telling stories about their worst Thanksgivings: Chandler learning of his parents' divorce, Phoebe losing arms in past lives and Joey having his head stuck in a turkey. Rachel reveals Monica's worst Thanksgiving—accidentally cutting off Chandler's toe after he called her "fat" in their first encounter. When Monica begs Chandler to forgive her, he accidentally reveals that he loves her.
"The One After Vegas" is the sixth-season premiere of the American television situation comedy Friends, which was broadcast on NBC on September 23, 1999. The plot continues from the previous episode; after their drunken wedding in Las Vegas, Ross and Rachel plan a quick annulment, and Monica and Chandler discuss moving in together. A subplot has Joey and Phoebe driving back to New York from Vegas, picking up a hitchhiker on the way. The episode was directed by Kevin S. Bright, written by Adam Chase and its production was documented for a Discovery Channel program.
Kevin Burns was an American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, WE tv, Travel Channel, Lifetime, and The History Channel. Burns created and executive-produced more than 800 hours of television programming.
Gil Cates Jr. is an American producer and director, and former actor. His 2006 documentary film Life After Tomorrow, which he co-produced and directed with Julie Stevens, won awards for both Best Documentary and Best Director at the Phoenix Film Festival and had its premiere on Showtime. He is the executive director of the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Friends: The Reunion is a 2021 reunion special of the American television sitcom Friends. The special was hosted by James Corden and executive produced by the show's cocreators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, Kevin S. Bright, the show's main cast, and Ben Winston. The special premiered on HBO Max on May 27, 2021. The special sees the main cast revisit the sets of the original show, meet with guests who appeared on the show as well as celebrity guests, do table reads and re-enactments of Friends episodes, and share behind-the-scenes footage. It was Matthew Perry's final on-screen appearance prior to his death in October 2023 at the age of 54.
Michael Borkow is an American producer and screenwriter. He was executive producer for the fourth season of the American sitcom television series Friends from 1997 to 1998.
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