George Schlatter
Encyclopedia
George Schlatter is an American television producer and director, best known for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
and founder of the American Comedy Awards
.
For his work on television
, Schlatter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 7030 Hollywood Blvd.
, USA, and raised in Missouri
, the son of a violinist mother and a salesman father. As a teenager, Schlatter sang for two seasons with the St. Louis Municipal Opera, where his mother also performed. He attended Pepperdine University
in Los Angeles, California
.
He was a Hollywood agent in the band and act department of MCA Records
. After several years, he left to become general manager at the Sunset Strip
nightclub Ciro's. The comedy team of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin
performed there. In the early 1960s, following a short stint in Las Vegas
, he started producing variety series and specials for television. Between 1964 and 1970, he oversaw the annual telecast of the Grammy Awards. In 1968, he formed George Schlatter Productions, noted for Rowan and Martin's Laugh In on NBC
.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Schlatter produced and/or directed several television series, while continuing to produce variety specials. In 1987, he started "The American Comedy Awards", which has become an annual event. Schlatter also produced a few feature films, and owns The Editing Company, which for many years was one of Hollywood's busiest state-of-the-art post production facilities.
He is married to former actress Jolene Brand who was a regular on the "The Ernie Kovacs Show
" (1952) and they have two daughters, Andrea and Maria. Andrea Justine is a champion equestrian rider. Maria S. Schlatter is an Emmy award winning television producer.
s, winning twice for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as Outstanding Musical or Variety Program (1968) and for Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special (1990). He was also nominated for a Writers Guild of America award in 1997. For his work on television
, Schlatter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 7030 Hollywood Blvd.
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
and founder of the American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States from 1987 to 2001 recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films...
.
For his work on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, Schlatter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 7030 Hollywood Blvd.
Life and career
Schlatter was born in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, USA, and raised in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, the son of a violinist mother and a salesman father. As a teenager, Schlatter sang for two seasons with the St. Louis Municipal Opera, where his mother also performed. He attended Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
He was a Hollywood agent in the band and act department of MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. After several years, he left to become general manager at the Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
nightclub Ciro's. The comedy team of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin
Dick Martin (comedian)
Thomas Richard "Dick" Martin was an American comedian and director, best known for his role as the cohost of the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.-Early life and career:...
performed there. In the early 1960s, following a short stint in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, he started producing variety series and specials for television. Between 1964 and 1970, he oversaw the annual telecast of the Grammy Awards. In 1968, he formed George Schlatter Productions, noted for Rowan and Martin's Laugh In on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Schlatter produced and/or directed several television series, while continuing to produce variety specials. In 1987, he started "The American Comedy Awards", which has become an annual event. Schlatter also produced a few feature films, and owns The Editing Company, which for many years was one of Hollywood's busiest state-of-the-art post production facilities.
He is married to former actress Jolene Brand who was a regular on the "The Ernie Kovacs Show
The Ernie Kovacs Show
The Ernie Kovacs Show is an American comedy show hosted by comedian Ernie Kovacs first shown in Philadelphia during the early 50s, then nationally.In 1953, Kovacs had an evening show by the same name on CBS...
" (1952) and they have two daughters, Andrea and Maria. Andrea Justine is a champion equestrian rider. Maria S. Schlatter is an Emmy award winning television producer.
Awards and honors
Between 1968 and 1996, Schlatter was nominated for 15 Emmy AwardEmmy 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...
s, winning twice for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
as Outstanding Musical or Variety Program (1968) and for Sammy Davis, Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special (1990). He was also nominated for a Writers Guild of America award in 1997. For his work on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, Schlatter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 7030 Hollywood Blvd.