Cris Abrego is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 television producer

Television producer

The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...

 and writer.

Early life

Abrego grew up in El Monte, California

El Monte, California

El Monte is a residential, industrial, and commercial city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city's slogan is "Welcome to Friendly El Monte," and historically is known as "The End of the Santa Fe Trail." As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 113,475,...

. He was a wrestler at California State University, Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...

 before graduating and moving to Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 to work on reality television

Reality television

Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...

 shows.

Career

After graduation, Abrego joined Bunim-Murray, working on The Real World

The Real World

The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...

and Road Rules

Road Rules

Road Rules was an MTV reality show that debuted on July 19, 1995. The series, which was MTV's second reality show after The Real World followed six strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 after stripping them of their money and putting them on an RV traveling from location to location only guided...

television shows. While working for Bunim-Murray, Abrego freelanced as a coordinating producer for Fear

MTV's Fear

MTV's Fear is an American paranormal reality television series that originally aired from 2000 to 2002 on MTV. The program follows a group of 5 or more contestants being left at an allegedly haunted location and led them on a series of dares over two nights to explore and confirm whether or not the...

and Making the Band

Making the Band

Making the Band is an ABC/MTV reality television series that exists in separate iterations, each iteration focusing on a specific music act. It spawned musical acts O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane, Day26, and Donnie Klang...

. In addition, he was the co-creator and executive producer for a reality version of the movie Cannonball Run

Cannonball Run

Cannonball Run may refer to:* Erwin Baker's 1933 NYC to LA drive* Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an outlaw automobile race, memorializing Erwin Baker's drive.* Films inspired by the race;...

.

In 2002, Abrego created Brass Ring; a production company responsible for Next Action Star

Next Action Star

The Next Action Star was a 10 episode reality TV program shown on NBC and on the Game Show Network in 2004 with 14 finalists vying for 2 spots as the Next Action Star in their own feature film. Each week, the contestants participated in screen tests that determined who got a callback and who goes...

, Surf Girls

Surf Girls

Surf Girls is a reality television show on MTV that aired from May 12, 2003 to July 7, 2003. The show consisted of 14 amateur surfers trying to win for the chance to go professional.-Cast:...

and The Hitchhiker Chronicles. Soon after, he created 51 Pictures.

In 2003, Abrego's 51 Pictures merged with Mark Cronin

Mark Cronin

-Biography:Cronin graduated from Upper Darby High School and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. He spent five years working as an engineer in research and marketing...

's Mindless Entertainment to form 51 Minds Entertainment

51 Minds Entertainment

51 Minds Entertainment is production company specialising in reality TV, known for their "celebreality" programs on VH1. In 2005 the company signed a two year, seven series production deal with VH1. The company has been credited in helping revive VH1 ratings during this time...

. The two met through Abrego's agent. Together, they created The Surreal Life

The Surreal Life

The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...

for the WB

The WB Television Network

The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...

 network. Soon after, the team created a string of "Celebreality" shows for VH1

VH1

VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

, including Strange Love

Strange Love

Strange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...

, My Fair Brady

My Fair Brady

My Fair Brady is a celebrity reality television show on VH1 that follows Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch, and Adrianne Curry, who won the first season of America's Next Top Model, a year after they met and fell in love on the reality show The Surreal Life.The show...

, The Surreal Life Fame Games, Celebrity Paranormal Project

Celebrity Paranormal Project

Celebrity Paranormal Project is a paranormal reality television series that originally aired from October 22, 2006 to November 1, 2007 on VH1. The show is currently on hiatus, so it is unknown if VH1 will re-air the show and begin with a second season...

, Flavor of Love

Flavor of Love

Flavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...

, I Love New York

I Love New York (TV series)

I Love New York is a reality television series, which first aired on VH1. It features Tiffany Pollard in a quest to find her true love. The series is a spin off of another relationship competition series, Flavor of Love, which featured Pollard as a finalist in two consecutive seasons...

, New York Goes to Hollywood

New York Goes To Hollywood

New York Goes to Hollywood is a reality VH1 series that consists of eight, 30-minute-episodes. New York Goes to Hollywood premiered on August 4, 2008. This spin-off of the I Love New York series, features Tiffany "New York" Pollard as she tries to find an acting job in Hollywood, California...

, Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School

Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School

Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School, known as Charm School: Flavor of Love Girls in Europe, is the first season of the VH1 reality show Charm School. It is a spin-off of Flavor of Love created by the producers of The Surreal Life and Flavor of Love spin-off I Love New York...

, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels

Rock of Love with Bret Michaels

Rock of Love with Bret Michaels is an American reality television dating game show. It stars Bret Michaels, the lead singer from the band Poison. The show closely resembles its sister show Flavor of Love. The first season featured 25 women competing to be Michaels' girlfriend. Each week, the women...

, I Love Money

I Love Money

I Love Money is an American reality television series airing on VH1, and is a spin-off of Flavor of Love, Charm School, I Love New York, Rock of Love, Real Chance of Love, For the Love of Ray J, Daisy of Love and Megan Wants a Millionaire. Former contestants on these shows compete in physical and...

, America's Most Smartest Model

America's Most Smartest Model

America's Most Smartest Model is an American reality television show that aired on VH1. The hosts are Ben Stein and Mary Alice Stephenson. The show attempts to find brains behind beauty in a series of challenges, and will grant the winner $100,000, a feature in an upcoming V05 ad, and the title...

, Rock of Love Girls: Charm School 2

Rock of Love Girls: Charm School 2

Rock of Love: Charm School, known as Sharon Osbournes Charm School in the UK, and as Charm School: Rock of Love Girls in Germany, is the second season of the VH1 reality television series Charm School. Fourteen contestants from both seasons of Rock of Love are competing to develop proper etiquette...

, Real Chance of Love

Real Chance of Love

Real Chance of Love is an American reality television dating game show featuring two brothers Ahmad Givens and Kamal Givens , of the rap group The Stallionares, and former contestants on I Love New York, who are looking for love....

, For the Love of Ray J

For the Love of Ray J

For the Love of Ray J is a dating show on VH1 featuring hip hop singer Ray J. The program has a format similar to Flavor of Love, I Love New York, and Rock of Love. One source notes that it "will be produced by the same geniuses" as those shows, 51 Minds...

,Daisy of Love

Daisy of Love

thumb|right|Daisy de la Hoya attending the premiere of VH1's "Daisy of Love" at My House, Hollywood, CA on April 26, 2009Daisy of Love is a reality television dating show which stars Daisy de la Hoya, the runner-up of the VH1 reality dating show Rock of Love 2...

, Megan Wants a Millionaire and Bridal Plasty.

In 2008, Endemol

Endemol

Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...

USA acquired 51 Minds in a deal reported to be worth "upward of $200 million."

External links