Jon Kroll
Encyclopedia
Jon Kroll is an American Emmy Award-winning
Executive Producer
, Director
, and Writer
who has done significant work in film and both scripted and non-scripted television. He is notable for his prolific output, which also includes publishing, theme parks, radio and stage work.
where he earned his Bachelor's in Film Production, and then the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television's Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program, where he received an MFA.
based on a short story by Robert Silverberg, which became Showtime's highest rated original film of 1995. He directed two other films, Menno’s Mind and The Clone, and developed Arthur C. Clarke’s short story Patent Pending into a feature script for Showtime, but it was not produced.
" on CBS
, High School Confidential
on WE-TV
, and From Star Wars to Star Wars on Fox
. He also Co-Executive Produced The Amazing Race
, for which he won a 2004 prime time Emmy Award. His most notable scripted show to date has been Blade: The Series
, which was SPIKE TV's first original dramatic series.
," a controversial show for UPN
that caused 51 members of congress to send a letter of protest to the network. The show eventually aired to critical acclaim.
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...
Executive Producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, Director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and Writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
who has done significant work in film and both scripted and non-scripted television. He is notable for his prolific output, which also includes publishing, theme parks, radio and stage work.
Early life
Jon was raised on a commune in Northern California where there was no electricity or television. He attended San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
where he earned his Bachelor's in Film Production, and then the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television's Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program, where he received an MFA.
Work in Film
Earlier in his career, he directed three feature films, including Amanda and the AlienAmanda and the Alien
Amanda and the Alien is a 1995 made-for-cable science-fiction comedy movie directed by Jon Kroll and starring Nicole Eggert as Amanda Patterson....
based on a short story by Robert Silverberg, which became Showtime's highest rated original film of 1995. He directed two other films, Menno’s Mind and The Clone, and developed Arthur C. Clarke’s short story Patent Pending into a feature script for Showtime, but it was not produced.
Work in Television
Kroll has Executive Produced such shows as “The Week the Women Went” for the BBC and Lifetime, “Pit Bulls & Parolees” for Animal Planet, “Flipping Vegas” for A&E, "Big BrotherBig Brother (TV series)
Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. Each series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than 15 participants. The housemates try to win a cash...
" on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, High School Confidential
High School Confidential (TV series)
High School Confidential is an eight-part documentary television series created by Sharon Liese following twelve high school teenagers from Blue Valley Northwest High. The show airs on the WE tv. The original run began on March 10, 2008 and concluded on April 28, 2008....
on WE-TV
WE: Women's Entertainment
WE tv is an American cable television channel that is marketed towards women. It features some original programming, such as non-fiction talk shows, as well as made-for-TV movies, older feature films, and reruns of TV shows, it also shows art and fashion documentaries and reality series....
, and From Star Wars to Star Wars on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. He also Co-Executive Produced The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
, for which he won a 2004 prime time Emmy Award. His most notable scripted show to date has been Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series is a 2006 American live-action television program based on the Marvel Comics character and film series. It premiered on Spike on June 28, 2006...
, which was SPIKE TV's first original dramatic series.
Amish in the City
Kroll is most known for creating and Executive Producing "Amish in the CityAmish in the City
Amish in the City is an American reality television series by Stick Figure Productions and UPN...
," a controversial show for UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
that caused 51 members of congress to send a letter of protest to the network. The show eventually aired to critical acclaim.
Other Work
In addition to his film credits and television credits, Kroll has been responsible for several live stage productions, radio programs for National Public Radio, and was the Supervising Show Director for Sanrio Harmonyland, a theme park in Japan. Jon is also an Adjunct Professor for USC's School of Cinematic Arts.Television
- Movie Magic, 1994 (Writer/Producer)
- Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects, 1994 (Coordinating Producer)
- Hypernauts, 1996 (Writer/Director)
- From Star Wars to Star Wars, 1999 (Director/Writer/Executive Producer)
- Big Brother, 2001-2003 (Executive Producer)
- The Amazing Race, 2002-2003 (Co-Executive Producer)
- Amish in the City, 2004 (Creator/Executive Producer)
- Illeanarama, 2005 (Executive Producer)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street: Real Nightmares, 2005 (Creator/Executive Producer)
- Battle of the Wedding Singers, 2006 (Executive Producer)
- Confrontation, 2006 (Executive Producer)
- Blade: The Series, 2006 (Executive Producer)
- The Real Wedding Crashers, 2007 (Executive Producer)
- High School Confidential, 2008 (Executive Producer)
- Family Foreman, 2008 (Executive Producer)
- Hookers: Saved on the Strip, 2010 (Executive Producer)
- Flipping Vegas, 2011 (Executive Producer)
- Pit Bulls & Parolees, 2011 (Executive Producer)
- The Week the Women Went, 2011 (Executive Producer)
Film
- The Clone, 1984 (Writer/Director)
- Amanda & the Alien, 1995 (Writer/Director)
- Menno’s Mind, 1997 (Director)