Paul Alter

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Paul Alter
Born(1922-03-11)March 11, 1922
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJune 11, 2011(2011-06-11) (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Television director, composer, producer

Paul Alter (March 11, 1922 – June 11, 2011) was an American television director, specializing in

The Price Is Right
from 1986 until 2000.

Early life and career

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Alter studied piano with Teddy Wilson, from the Benny Goodman Quartet.[1] Alter became a talented musician. Later on, Alter would put his talent to use composing the 1969 theme for To Tell the Truth.

Television work

His first job as a game-show director was on the original

Pearson Television due to an unfavorable deposition against host Bob Barker.[2] Bart Eskander replaced Alter as director of The Price Is Right, though Alter briefly resumed his position as part of a special agreement with Pearson. Alter directed the original version of Family Feud
which ran on ABC from 1976 to 1985. When Family Feud was revived in 1988, Alter directed that version as well until October 1990, when Alter left the show to direct To Tell the Truth.

He retired following his departure from The Price Is Right. On the E! True Hollywood Story episode on Family Feud, Alter gave some insight on popular game show hosts saying: "Dawson became more of the boss. That happens to any M.C. who becomes popular...he can call the shots."[3]

In his career, Alter won two

Emmy awards, first for Family Feud in 1982 and later for The Price is Right in 1996.[4] He received 14 Emmy nominations during his career.[5]

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid lawsuit

In 1980, Alter submitted to the

Walt Disney Company a story treatment about a kid who, due to a genetic accident, grew to an enormous size, which he based on his granddaughter's knocking over toys. By 1991, it became the movie Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. Alter sued Disney that year, claiming several similarities between that movie and his treatment. His case went to trial in 1993, which resulted in the jury awarding him $300,000.[6]

Death

Alter died of natural causes on June 11, 2011, in Los Angeles, California; he was 89.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ "Paul Alter". IMDb. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  2. ^ "RETROALITY.TV EXCLUSIVE: Barker's Beauty Holly Hallstrom Tells All about Bob Barker and "The Price is Right"". RetroReality.TV. June 10, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  3. ^ E! True Hollywood Story. Family Feud. July 28, 2002.
  4. ^ "Emmy-Winning Game Show Director Paul Alter Dies at 89". June 16, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  5. ^ "Awards for Paul Alter". IMDb. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  6. ^ Welkos, Robert (November 13, 1993). "Jury Tells Disney to Pay $300,000 in 'Honey' Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  7. ^ "Paul Alter Obituary". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  8. ^ "Paul Alter dies at 89". Variety. June 15, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2012.

External links

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