Harvey Levin
Encyclopedia
Harvey Robert Levin is an American television producer, lawyer, legal analyst and a celebrity reporter. He is the founder of celebrity gossip website TMZ.com
.
in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara
, and his J.D.
from the University of Chicago
. He passed the California bar exam in 1975 and was an active attorney in California from December 12, 1975, to January 1, 1996.
in Los Angeles, where he reported on the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In 1996, Levin moved to New York to work as a legal analyst for the 1997 revival of The People's Court
. He appeared on the show during the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s as a legal consultant and deactivated his California bar license. He became host of the series in 1998, as well as continuing to serve as its legal analyst. Levin served as creator and executive producer for Celebrity Justice
from 2002 to 2005.
In 1997, Levin had a role in the movie Volcano as a TV reporter.
in April 2010. During the talk, Levin said, “I’m thinking back a long time when I was starting out as a TV reporter at a local station in LA and I remember at the time – I was probably in my late 20s – and I remember this hell-like fear that if anybody in that newsroom found out that that I was gay, that it would be over,” he said. “I built it up in my head. I was so terrified that somebody would find out.” He went on to discuss about how he had to compartmentalize the gay and non-gay parts of his life.
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
.
Education
Levin received his B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
, and his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He passed the California bar exam in 1975 and was an active attorney in California from December 12, 1975, to January 1, 1996.
Career
He worked in various legal roles in the entertainment industry. He was a legal reporter on KCBS-TVKCBS-TV
KCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
in Los Angeles, where he reported on the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
In 1996, Levin moved to New York to work as a legal analyst for the 1997 revival of The People's Court
The People's Court
The People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
. He appeared on the show during the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s as a legal consultant and deactivated his California bar license. He became host of the series in 1998, as well as continuing to serve as its legal analyst. Levin served as creator and executive producer for Celebrity Justice
Celebrity Justice
Celebrity Justice was an American news show which ran from 2002 to 2005. It was produced by Harvey Levin Productions, and directed by Brad Kreisburg, and Rob Dorn for one episode in 2005...
from 2002 to 2005.
In 1997, Levin had a role in the movie Volcano as a TV reporter.
Personal life
Levin appeared as a speaker at a fundraising event in West Hollywood, California for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists AssociationNational Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association is an American professional association dedicated to unbiased coverage of gay/lesbian issues in the media...
in April 2010. During the talk, Levin said, “I’m thinking back a long time when I was starting out as a TV reporter at a local station in LA and I remember at the time – I was probably in my late 20s – and I remember this hell-like fear that if anybody in that newsroom found out that that I was gay, that it would be over,” he said. “I built it up in my head. I was so terrified that somebody would find out.” He went on to discuss about how he had to compartmentalize the gay and non-gay parts of his life.
External links
- Michael Cieply, "A Star Watcher Has Star Power", New York Times, October 25, 2008