Michael Zinberg | |
---|---|
Born | Michael Allan Zinberg March 22, 1944 |
Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin |
Occupation(s) | Television Director TV Producer TV Writer Former TV Executive |
Years active | 1971–present |
Spouse | Leslie Zinberg (m. 1969) |
Michael Allan Zinberg (born March 22, 1944) [1] is an American television director, producer and writer.
Zinberg was born in Bexar County, Texas to Dorothy (née Rissien) and William Zinberg. [1]
Zinberg graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas. In 1977, he earned a B.S. in radio-television-film from Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. [2]
Zinberg moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1968, with his first job as an usher at CBS Television City. He worked his way up to become a production assistant and then a writer, eventually working as an Associate Producer on the James Garner TV show Nichols . [3]
In 1972, Zinberg joined the MTM Productions television production company that was founded by Mary Tyler Moore's husband, Grant Tinker. While at MTM Productions he wrote, produced and directed The Bob Newhart Show for six seasons, [4] as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among other popular TV shows of the 1970s and 1980s. [3]
From 1979 to 1981, Zinberg was VP Production Development at NBC, where he was responsible for Hill Street Blues and Cheers as well as other programs. [3]
From 1993 to 1995, Zinberg was President of NBC Productions, where he oversaw Homicide: Life on the Street , JAG and all NBC late-night programming. [3] [5]
As of 2023 [update] , Zinberg was still producing or directing episodes of TV series, such as directing the April 2023 season 20 episode "Head Games" of the series NCIS –his 23 episode, having started on that series with the November 2003 season 1 episode "Sub Rosa".
Zinberg has been married to Leslie S. Fierman, a writer and designer, since 1969. [6]
Selected work
Zinberg has won the following awards and has served on the following bodies:
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