Leonard Katzman

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Leonard Katzman
Born(1927-09-02)September 2, 1927
DiedSeptember 5, 1996(1996-09-05) (aged 69)
Resting placeMount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation(s)Producer; screenwriter; director
Years active1940s–1996
Known forShowrunner of Dallas
SpouseLaRue Farlow
Children4
RelativesEthan Klein (grandson)

Leonard Katzman (September 2, 1927 – September 5, 1996) was an American film and television producer, writer and director. He was most notable for being the showrunner of the CBS oil soap opera Dallas.[1]

Early life and career

Leonard Katzman was born in New York City on September 2, 1927, to a Jewish family. He began his career in the 1940s, while still in his teens, working as an assistant director for his uncle, Hollywood producer Sam Katzman. He started out on adventure movie serials such as Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945), Superman (1948), Batman and Robin (1949), The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1951), Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954), et al.[1] During the 1950s he continued working as assistant director, mostly with his uncle, in feature films such as A Yank in Korea (1951), The Giant Claw (1957), Face of a Fugitive (1959) and Angel Baby (1961). Besides his big screen work, Katzman also served on television shows, including The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, The Mickey Rooney Show and Bat Masterson.

In 1960, Katzman made his production debut, serving not only as assistant director, but also as associate producer, on all four seasons of

Edgar Allan Poe Award, and the two science fiction dramas The Fantastic Journey (1977) and Logan's Run (1977-1978). In 1965, he wrote, produced and directed the science fiction film Space Probe Taurus
(also known as Space Monster). Aside from his work as assistant director, this was his only venture into feature films.

Dallas

In 1978, Katzman served as producer for

the second season of the show, as Jacobs stepped down to create and later run Dallas spin-off series Knots Landing. Under Katzman's lead, Dallas, whose first episodes had consisted of self-contained stories, evolved into a serial, leading into the '80s trend of prime time soap operas.[2]

While Katzman headed Dallas' writing staff from the show's second season, he remained producer, with

, and Capice was let go.

Katzman remained as executive producer on Dallas until the series finale in May 1991. Besides his production work, he also wrote and directed more episodes of the series than anyone else.

After Dallas

Following "Dallas", Katzman went on to create the short-lived crime drama Dangerous Curves (1992-1993), which aired as a part of

J.R. Returns
, which he also wrote and directed.

Personal life and death

Katzman fathered his first child, Gary Katzman, with Eileen Leener (1929-2019).[5] Katzman did not raise his first child and left his mother when he was 4 years old. The child was eventually adopted and took the surname Klein. Through Gary Klein, Katzman is the biological grandfather of Ethan Klein of the Israeli-American YouTube comedy channel h3h3Productions.[6]

Leonard Katzman and his wife LaRue Farlow Katzman

the production of Dallas' later seasons. Both sons were also involved in the production of Dangerous Curves
; Walker, Texas Ranger; and J. R. Returns.

Katzman died of a

Filmography

Excluding work as assistant director.

Year Title Creator Writer Producer Director
1960-1964 Route 66
1961 Tallahassee 7000
1965 Space Probe Taurus (feature film)
1965-1969 The Wild Wild West
1969-1970 Hawaii Five-O, season 2
1970-1971 Storefront Lawyers
1970-1975 Gunsmoke, seasons 16-20
1974 Dirty Sally
1974-1976 Petrocelli
1977 The Fantastic Journey
1977-1978 Logan's Run
1978-1991 Dallas
1985-1986 Our Family Honor
1992-1993 Dangerous Curves
1994-1995 Walker, Texas Ranger, season 2
1996
Dallas: J. R. Returns
(TV movie)

Awards

1997: Lone Star Film & Television Awards - Special Award

References

  1. ^ a b c d Leonard Katzman; Prolific Director Produced 'Dallas', Los Angeles Times; September 8, 1996
  2. ^ a b c Haithman, Diane. "The Baron of 'Dallas' : Producer Reminisces on 10th Anniversary", Los Angeles Times; April 1, 1988
  3. ^ "UltimateDallas.com - Dallas Dream Season". Archived from the original on 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  4. Perigee Trade
    , 1987
  5. ^ "Eileen LAYBHEN Obituary - Mission Hills, CA".
  6. ^ "H3 Podcast #11 - Ethan's Parents". YouTube. h3h3Productions (via YouTube). June 18, 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "myheritage.com - LaRue Katzman".

External links