David Holman
Encyclopedia
David Holman is a former television producer and executive for over forty years, both in New York and Los Angeles. While working for Jim Henson
and the Muppets he helped launch the original The Muppet Show
in 1975, and worked on that series, "Sesame Street
", "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" Special, and The Muppet Movie
for six years. He later went on to produce and manage dozens of productions eventually working on several thousand individual shows from daytime soap operas, to primetime shows such as "Mad About You
", and late night shows such as The Dick Cavett Show
. He won an Emmy Award
for his work as technical supervisor for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
. Although semi-retired he is still developing screenplays.
as the only human guest star. (Miss Piggy had not been "born" yet.) When ABC ordered a second TV special, "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence" for a possible Muppet TV series in primetime, Henson hired Holman away from ABC to be producer for television projects for Henson Associates, Inc. in 1975. After the two Specials aired it was surprising to Henson and Holman to learn that the network "passed" on hiring the Muppets to be in primetime. The two other networks at the time – NBC and CBS – also "passed". "The Muppet Show" was picked up as a series by several affiliates instead, and later became a hit in syndication. "By the second season, the series was breaking syndication records and broadcasting in more than 100 countries. And it won several Emmy Awards." Holman worked as the production office manager for Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Saturday Night Live
.
Holman continued his career in Los Angeles
where he won a technical supervisor TV Emmy Award
for his work for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
. In 1985, he was named director of live and tape production for Columbia Pictures Television for fifteen years. Holman worked on several thousand episodes of television series, including "The Young and the Restless
", "Days of Our Lives
", "Punky Brewster", "Designing Women", "What's Happening Now", "Who's the Boss?
", 227
, My Two Dads
, Entertainment Tonight
, "The Nanny
", "Mad About You
", "King of Queens", "Married With Children", The Dick Cavett Show
, "Jeopardy", and "Wheel of Fortune". After his retirement in 2000, Holman wrote an article about his experiences with Jim Henson and The Muppets that was published in the December 2004 issue of Palm Springs Life.
During his early retirement in 2000, Holman met author Joyce Spizer and together they co-wrote (with another first-time writer) a screenplay. Holman and Spizer (now Joyce Foy) have written a second screenplay and formed Hollywood East Productions, in 2005 to write and produce independent films. They are currently in pre-production with one of their scripts to be produced sometime in 2009.
Holman also was named an Outstanding Young Man of America in 1970 by the U.S. Jacees, and given an Award of Merit by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, for directing "Paths of Progress" TV series at KTBC-TV, Austin, Texas, in 1963. He served in the U.S. Army in Munich, Germany, between 1960 and 1962, and was honorably discharged in 1962. He studied Broadcasting at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
Holman remains an active member of the Producers Guild of America, the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, a founding member of the Palm Springs Chapter of Women In Film, a Guest Lecturer for colleges & universities in the U.S., and is a Life Member of the University of Texas Ex-Students' Association. Holman is listed in Who's Who in Entertainment 1990–Present and in Who's Who in California 1983–2006.
Jim Henson
James Maury "Jim" Henson was an American puppeteer best known as the creator of The Muppets. As a puppeteer, Henson performed in various television programs, such as Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, films such as The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper, and created advanced puppets for...
and the Muppets he helped launch the original The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
in 1975, and worked on that series, "Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
", "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" Special, and The Muppet Movie
The Muppet Movie
The Muppet Movie is the first of a series of live-action musical feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Released in 1979, the film was produced by Henson Associates, Children's Television Workshop and ITC Entertainment....
for six years. He later went on to produce and manage dozens of productions eventually working on several thousand individual shows from daytime soap operas, to primetime shows such as "Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
", and late night shows such as The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including:* ABC daytime ...
. He won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for his work as technical supervisor for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. Although semi-retired he is still developing screenplays.
History
Holman first met Jim Henson while he was working at ABC-TV in New York in 1973. ABC was producing a Muppet TV Special called "A Muppet Valentine Special" with actress Mia FarrowMia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
as the only human guest star. (Miss Piggy had not been "born" yet.) When ABC ordered a second TV special, "The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence" for a possible Muppet TV series in primetime, Henson hired Holman away from ABC to be producer for television projects for Henson Associates, Inc. in 1975. After the two Specials aired it was surprising to Henson and Holman to learn that the network "passed" on hiring the Muppets to be in primetime. The two other networks at the time – NBC and CBS – also "passed". "The Muppet Show" was picked up as a series by several affiliates instead, and later became a hit in syndication. "By the second season, the series was breaking syndication records and broadcasting in more than 100 countries. And it won several Emmy Awards." Holman worked as the production office manager for Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.
Holman continued his career in 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...
where he won a technical supervisor TV Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for his work for ABC Sports on the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
. In 1985, he was named director of live and tape production for Columbia Pictures Television for fifteen years. Holman worked on several thousand episodes of television series, including "The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
", "Days of Our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
", "Punky Brewster", "Designing Women", "What's Happening Now", "Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
", 227
227 (TV series)
227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series starred Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins...
, My Two Dads
My Two Dads
My Two Dads is an American sitcom that starred Staci Keanan, Paul Reiser and Greg Evigan. It aired on NBC from 1987 to 1990 and was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions in association with TriStar Television and distributed by TeleVentures.-Show synopsis:The show begins when Marcy Bradford , the...
, Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, "The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
", "Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
", "King of Queens", "Married With Children", The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including:* ABC daytime ...
, "Jeopardy", and "Wheel of Fortune". After his retirement in 2000, Holman wrote an article about his experiences with Jim Henson and The Muppets that was published in the December 2004 issue of Palm Springs Life.
During his early retirement in 2000, Holman met author Joyce Spizer and together they co-wrote (with another first-time writer) a screenplay. Holman and Spizer (now Joyce Foy) have written a second screenplay and formed Hollywood East Productions, in 2005 to write and produce independent films. They are currently in pre-production with one of their scripts to be produced sometime in 2009.
Holman also was named an Outstanding Young Man of America in 1970 by the U.S. Jacees, and given an Award of Merit by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, for directing "Paths of Progress" TV series at KTBC-TV, Austin, Texas, in 1963. He served in the U.S. Army in Munich, Germany, between 1960 and 1962, and was honorably discharged in 1962. He studied Broadcasting at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
Holman remains an active member of the Producers Guild of America, the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, a founding member of the Palm Springs Chapter of Women In Film, a Guest Lecturer for colleges & universities in the U.S., and is a Life Member of the University of Texas Ex-Students' Association. Holman is listed in Who's Who in Entertainment 1990–Present and in Who's Who in California 1983–2006.