Grant Tinker
| Grant Tinker | |
|---|---|
 Tinker at the 64th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2005 | |
| Born |
Grant Almerin Tinker January 11, 1926 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died |
November 28, 2016 (aged 90) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Dartmouth College |
| Occupation | Television producer and executive |
| Known for | CEO of NBC (1981–86) |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Television Hall of Fame (1997) |
Grant Almerin Tinker (January 11, 1926 – November 28, 2016) was an American television executive who served as Chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986. Additionally, he was the co-founder of MTM Enterprises and a television producer. Tinker was the husband of actress and producer Mary Tyler Moore for 19 years (1962–1981). Moore was 11 years younger than Tinker.
Life and career
Tinker was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Margaret (née Hessin) and Arthur Almerin Tinker.[1][2]
During World War II, Tinker served in the United States Army Air Forces Reserve. Tinker graduated from Dartmouth College. His sons, Mark and John are also producers. In 1961 Tinker rejoined NBC and was the head of West Coast programming where he developed I Spy, Dr. Kildare, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.[3]
Tinker married Moore in 1962. In 1969 they formed the television production company MTM Enterprises. Tinker hired Room 222 writers James L. Brooks and Allan Burns to create and produce the company's first television series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. MTM produced such popular American sitcoms and drama television series as Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. After his divorce from Moore in 1981, Tinker left MTM to become the chairman and CEO of NBC, then the perennial last-place American television network (in terms of Nielsen ratings and profits). During Tinker's tenure in NBC's top position, the network regained ratings and produced popular shows like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Night Court, and Hill Street Blues. Tinker left the network in 1986, shortly after its parent company RCA was bought by General Electric. After leaving NBC, Tinker tried to repeat his success with MTM by forming GTG (Grant Tinker-Gannett) Entertainment but the business venture failed and the company closed in 1990.
Death
Tinker died at his Los Angeles home on November 28, 2016 at the age of 90.[3]
Awards and honors
- Tinker was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997.
- In 2004, Tinker won a personal Peabody Award "for recognizing, protecting, and fostering creativity of the highest order."[4]
Bibliography
- Tinker, Grant; Rukeyser, Bud (1994). Tinker in Television: From General Sarnoff to General Electric. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671759407.
References
- ↑ "Miss Ruth Byerly Connecticut Bride; A Bridal Couple, A Bride and an Engaged Girl". The New York Times. March 5, 1950.
- ↑ "Arthur Almerin Tinker". longislandsurnames.com. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- 1 2 McFadden, Robert D. (November 30, 2016). "Grant Tinker, Former Chairman of NBC, Dies at 90; Made Network a Ratings Powerhouse". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Personal Award: Grant Tinker". Peabody Award. Winter 2004.
External links
- Grant Tinker at the Internet Movie Database
- Grant Tinker interview video at the Archive of American Television
- Grant Tinker profile at the Museum of Broadcast Communications website
| Business positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Fred Silverman |
CEO of NBC 1981–1986 |
Succeeded by Bob Wright |