Hall of Fame

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Television Academy Hall of Fame Inductees for 2012

In March, the Television Academy will welcome the latest inductees to its Hall of Fame:

Mary-Ellis Bunim & Jonathan Murray — reality television pioneers and creators of such series as The Real World, Road Rules and many, many others.

Michael Eisner — former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company and an executive at ABC Television and Paramount Pictures.

Sherman Hemsley* — a Primetime Emmy-nominated performer best known for the role of George Jefferson on the CBS comedies All in the Family and The Jeffersons, and Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen, among others.

Bill Klages — lighting designer and winner of seven Primetime Emmy Awards who has been associated with some of the most outstanding productions in television history, including My Name Is Barbra, Night of 100 Stars, Sills and Burnett at the Met, The Primetime Emmy Awards, The Tony Awards, The Grammy Awards, The Kennedy Center Honors and many more.

Mario Kreutzberger, a.k.a. Don Francisco — host of Sábado Gigante (Giant Saturday), one of the most popular programs in the history of Spanish-language television. He is also host of Don Francisco Presenta (Don Francisco Presents).

Chuck Lorre — co-creator and executive producer of the CBS comedies Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory and Mike & Molly and a former executive producer and writer of such seres as Roseanne, Dharma and Greg, Grace Under Fire, Cybill and others.

William Frawley and Vivian Vance — beloved performers known to generations of television audiences for the roles of Fred and Ethel Mertz on the iconic comedy I Love Lucy.

Historical audio interviews with Michael Eisner, Sherman Hemsle, Bill Klages and Mario Kreutzberger are available online through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation's Archive of American Television. For links to the interviews, visit Emmytvlegends.org.

These esteemed individuals will be honored at the 21^st Hall of Fame Induction Gala, to be held March 1, 2012, at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The full inductees press release is available here.

* Due to work commitments, Sherman Hemsley is unable to attend this year’s induction event. Because he would like to attend in person, we have postponed his official induction until his schedule permits.

Television Academy Hall of Fame Inductees for 2011

In January 2011, the Television Academy welcomed the latest inductees to its Hall of Fame:

Diahann Carroll — award-winning actress-singer appearing on Broadway, in film, and on television, widely celebrated for her roles on Julia, Dynasty, A Different World and more.

Tom Freston — a veteran entertainment executive and one of the founding members of MTV.

Earle Hagen (1919-2008) — pioneering television composer, who wrote themes for The Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl, among many others.

Susan Harris — celebrated television comedy writer, best known as the creator of The Golden Girls.

Peter Jennings (1938-2005) — distinguished journalist, anchor and senior editor of ABC's World News Tonight, reported many of the pivotal events that have shaped our world, including the September 11 attacks.

Cloris Leachman— award-winning actress of stage, film and television, best known on television for playing the nosy, self-centered and manipulative landlady Phyllis Lindstrom on the 1970s TV series The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and later on the spinoff series, Phyllis.

Bill Todman (1916-1979) — one of television’s most successful game show producers, who teamed up with Mark Goodson to create Goodson-Todman Productions and perennial game shows What’s My Line, The Price is Right and Family Feud, among many others.

Full historical audio interviews with Diahann Carroll and Earle Hagen are available online through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation's Archive of American Television. For links to the interviews, visit Emmytvlegends.org.


More than 120 Industry Legends Honored

With the 2011 induction of Diahann Carroll, Tom Freston, Earle Hagen, Susan Harris, Peter Jennings, Cloris Leachman and Bill Todman, and the 2010 induction of Candice Bergen, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Gene Roddenberry, Dick & Tom Smothers and Bob Stewart, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame grew to well over 100 honorees.

These pioneers have helped shape the most important and influential medium of our time, whether in front of the camera or behind it.

The Hall of Fame honors actors, comics, directors, producers, costume designers, writers, animators, executives, reporters, explorers—and the list goes on and on, covering the gamut of talent that it takes to entertain, inform and enrich a mass audience.

Former President John H. Mitchell Establishes Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame was founded by a former president of the Television Academy, the late John H. Mitchell

Mitchell sought to honor individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to television. In the words of the selection committee, the Hall of Fame is for "persons who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television, based upon either cumulative contributions and achievements or a singular contribution or achievement."

Mitchell remained the chair of the Hall of Fame until his death in January 1988. He was succeeded by Edgar J. Scherick, who in turn passed the reins to Norman Lear.

First Induction Ceremony in 1984

The first ceremony in 1984 celebrated the careers of Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Paddy Chayefsky, Norman Lear, Edward R. Murrow, William S. Paley and David Sarnoff. The honorees received glass statuettes in the form of two ballet dancers that were created by sculptor and painter Pascal to reflect the self-discipline required in all facets of the arts.

Since 1988, inductees have brought home an award in the form of a crystal television screen atop a cast-bronze base. The new awards were designed by the late art director Romain Johnston.