David Wolper

In 1999, TV Guide chose David L. Wolper as one of the people who made a difference in television history. "A true original whose vision and innovation shaped the medium... His many contributions to broadcast history have embedded themselves in the American psyche."

In his 50 years in show business, David L. Wolper has won more than 150 awards including Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes and Peabodys, and recognition through retrospectives in the world’s great film festivals.

Mr. Wolper, personally, has the entertainment industry’s two highest honors; the Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and an induction into the Television Hall of Fame by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He also holds the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian award.

Born in 1928 in New York City, Mr. Wolper attended the University of Southern California where, with Art Buchwald, he ran the campus humor magazine. Wolper left school early in 1949 to go into this new medium called Television.

After leaving USC in 1949, Mr. Wolper crisscrossed the country selling films to television stations. He personally attended the opening of 30 television stations the day they went on the air. In 1955 he decided to go into production.

Mr. Wolper has conquered many areas of the entertainment world. He has produced television documentaries associated with six of America’s top organizations: the Smithsonian Institute, the National Geographic Society, American Heritage Magazine, Time Magazine, Readers Digest and the United States Golf Association. He made documentaries from Pulitzer Prize winning books: Theodore H. White’s Making of the President 1960 and William Shirer’s The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. He won the Academy Award for his documentary, The Hellstrom Chronicle.

In the miniseries world he produced Roots, one of the highest rated and most critically acclaimed programs in television history. Some of his other miniseries include The Thorn Birds and John Jakes’ North and South.

His theatrical productions include If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, This is Elvis, Imagine: John Lennon, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and his most recent, L.A. Confidential.

In the 1970s Mr. Wolper was appointed by President Gerald Ford to the Presidents Council of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the United States. He was elected its Chairman and added another chapter to his career, the outdoor spectacular.

Mr. Wolper was Vice Chairman and Producer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Lee Iacocca asked Wolper to head the celebration for the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Wolper was the Chairman, Executive Producer and Creator of Liberty Weekend, a 4-day celebration to commemorate the anniversary.

In 1999 Mr. Wolper produced the 10-hour documentary series Celebrate the Century summing up the great events of the 20th Century. It was produced in collaboration with the United States Postal Service and was telecast on CNN. It just happened that the theme of the 1999 Tournament of Roses Parade was Echoes of the Century and Mr. Wolper was chosen its Grand Marshall.

Mr. Wolper was on the founding boards of KCET in Los Angeles, the Amateur Athletic Foundation for which he is Chairman Emeritus, the International Documentary Association and the USC School of Cinema-Television. Some other boards include the American Film Institute, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The National Boys Club of America and the Museum of Television and Radio.

A family man and devotee of the arts, entertainment and sports – especially golf – Wolper and his 6-foot artist wife Gloria live in Los Angeles. Wolper has three children, Mark, who is President of The Wolper Organization, Michael and Leslie who are business executives, and seven grandchildren.