David Lee (screenwriter)

American screenwriter, director and television producer

David Clark Lee (born 1950)[1] is an American television producer, director, and writer.

Lee grew up in Claremont, California, and went to college at the University of Redlands.[2] He co-wrote and co-produced The Jeffersons and Cheers with Peter Casey for, respectively, six and four years.[3] He and Casey co-created Wings and Frasier alongside the late David Angell under the Grub Street Productions.

He produced revival productions of Broadway musicals, including South Pacific starring Brian Stokes Mitchell and Reba McEntire,[3][2] Can-Can, and Camelot.[4] He co-wrote a newly revised script of Can-Can alongside Joel Fields when he was reviving the old musical.[5][6]

Lee has been nominated eighteen times for Primetime Emmy Awards; he won nine out of those nominations.[7][8] He also won the Directors Guild Award, the Golden Globe Award, Producers Guild Award, GLAAD Media Award, British Comedy Award, three Television Critics Association Awards, two Humanitas Prizes, and the Peabody Award.[8]

He was honored the 449th star, placed at Palm Springs Walk of Stars, on March 18, 2022.[9]

## Personal life

[edit]

Lee is openly gay.[10][11][12][2]

He paid US$3 million in 2002 (equivalent to $5,245,000 in 2024) for a Palm Springs estate built by architect Donald Wexler and originally resided in by Dinah Shore.[3] He sold the estate to real estate agents for $5,995,000 in 2009 (equivalent to $8,787,000 in 2024),[3] later purchased by Leonardo DiCaprio in 2014 for $5,230,000 (equivalent to $6,947,000 in 2024).[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ McKairnes, Jim (22 October 2017). "DAVID LEE". The Interviews. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
2. ^ a b c David Lee (September 3, 2012). "PalmSprings.com Spotlight: An Interview with David Lee". PalmSprings.com (blog) (Interview). Retrieved December 8, 2013.
3. ^ a b c d Beale, Lauren (May 1, 2009). "Jeffersons producer David Lee lists Dinah Shore Palm Springs estate for $5,995,000". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
4. ^ Levitt, Hayley (October 30, 2014). "Frasier Cocreator David Lee on Can-Can, Camelot, and 11 Years of 22-Minute Plays", TheaterMania.com; retrieved May 16, 2016.
5. ^ Gans, Andrew (January 17, 2013). "Revival of Cole Porter's Can-Can Aiming for Broadway in Spring 2014; David Lee Will Direct", Playbill; retrieved May 16, 2016.
6. ^ Reiner, Jay. "Review of Pasadena Playhouse 'Revisal'", Reuters, July 8, 2007.
7. ^ "David Lee". Emmys.com. Retrieved May 16, 2016. The website may have erroneously listed a sound mixer and the producer, writer, and director of the same name under the same page.
8. ^ a b "David Lee". laphil.com. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
9. ^ Ventura, Bianca (March 18, 2022). "Palm Springs Walk of the Stars honors David Lee with 449th star". Retrieved February 24, 2024.
10. ^ Littlefield, Warren (2012). "Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs". Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV. New York City: Anchor Books. p. 134\. ISBN 9780307739766. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
11. ^ Becker, Ron (2006). "Gay Material and Prime-Time Network Television". Gay TV and Straight America. Rutgers University Press. p. 163. Retrieved December 8, 2013. "David Lee gay."
12. ^ Littlefield, Kinney (1996). "In '95, Gay Came To Stay In Prime-time TV". Chicago Tribune. The date incorrectly says January 1, 1996.
13. ^ Beale, Lauren (March 7, 2014), Leonardo DiCaprio buys Dinah Shore's onetime desert home, Los Angeles Times; accessed May 23, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* David Lee at IMDb
* David Lee at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television

Awards for David Lee

* v
* t
* e

Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series

1971–2000|

* John Rich for "All in the Family" (1971)
* Gene Reynolds for "Pilot" (M*A*S*H) (1972)
* Gene Reynolds for "Deal Me Out" (1973)
* Hy Averback for "Alcoholics Unanimous" (1974)
* Hy Averback for "Bombed" (1975)
* Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (1976)
* Paul Bogart for "Edith's 50th Birthday" (1977)
* Paul Bogart for "California, Here We Are" (1978)
* Charles S. Dubin for "Period of Adjustment" (1979)
* Noam Pitlik for "Fog" (1980)
* Alan Alda for "The Life You Save" (1981)
* Alan Alda for "Where There's a Will, There's a War" (1982)
* James Burrows for "Showdown: Part II" (1983)
* Jay Sandrich for "Pilot" (The Cosby Show) (1984)
* Jay Sandrich for "Pilot" (The Golden Girls) (1985)
* Terry Hughes for "Isn't It Romantic?" (1986)
* Will Mackenzie for "A, My Name is Alex" (1987)
* Steve Miner for "Pilot" (The Wonder Years) (1988)
* Barnet Kellman for "Brown Like Me" (1989)
* James Burrows for "Woody Interruptus" (1990)
* Peter Bonerz for "Uh Oh: Part II" (1991)
* Tom Cherones for "The Contest" (1992)
* James Burrows for "The Good Son" (1993)
* David Lee for "The Matchmaker" (1994)
* Gordon Hunt for "The Alan Brady Show" (1995)
* Andy Ackerman for "The Rye" (1996)
* Andy Ackerman for "The Betrayal" (1997)
* Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (Sports Night) (1998)
* Thomas Schlamme for "Small Town" (1999)
* James Burrows for "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (2000)

2001–present|

* Todd Holland for "Bowling" (2001)
* Bryan Gordon for "Special Section" (2002)
* Tim Van Patten for "Boy Interrupted" (2003)
* Tim Van Patten for "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux" (2004)
* Marc Buckland for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2005)
* Richard Shepard for "Pilot" (Ugly Betty) (2006)
* Barry Sonnenfeld for "Pie-lette" (2007)
* Paul Feig for "Dinner Party" (2008)
* Jason Winer for "Pilot" (Modern Family) (2009)
* Michael Spiller for "Halloween" (2010)
* Robert B. Weide for "Palestinian Chicken" (2011)
* Lena Dunham for "Pilot" (Girls) (2012)
* Beth McCarthy-Miller for "Hogcock!" / "Last Lunch" (2013)
* Jill Soloway for "Best New Girl" (2014)
* Chris Addison for "Election Night" (2015)
* Becky Martin for "Inauguration" (2016)
* Beth McCarthy-Miller for "Chicklet" (2017)
* Bill Hader for "Chapter One: Make Your Mark" (2018)
* Bill Hader for "ronny/lily" (2019)
* Susanna Fogel for "In Case of Emergency" (2020)
* Lucia Aniello for "There Is No Line" (2021)
* Bill Hader for "710N" (2022)
* Christopher Storer for "Fishes" (2023)
* Lucia Aniello for "Bulletproof" (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

1950s|

* Peter Tewksbury for "Medal for Margaret" (1959)

1960s|

* Ralph Levy & Bud Yorkin for The Jack Benny Show (1960)
* Sheldon Leonard for The Danny Thomas Show (1961)
* Nat Hiken for Car 54, Where Are You? (1962)
* John Rich for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963)
* Jerry Paris for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1964)
* No Award (1965)
* William Asher for Bewitched (1966)
* James Frawley for "Royal Flush" (1967)
* Bruce Bilson for "Maxwell Smart, Private Eye" (1968)
* Greg Garrison for "October 17, 1968" (1969)

1970s|

* Dwight Hemion for "The Sound of Burt Bacharach" (1970)
* Jay Sandrich for "Toulouse-Lautrec is One of My Favorite Artists" (1971)
* John Rich for "Sammy's Visit" (1972)
* Jay Sandrich for "It's Whether You Win or Lose" (1973)
* Jackie Cooper for "Carry On, Hawkeye" (1974)
* Gene Reynolds for "O.R." (1975)
* Gene Reynolds for "Welcome to Korea" (1976)
* Alan Alda for "Dear Sigmund" (1977)
* Paul Bogart for "Edith's 50th Birthday" (1978)
* Noam Pitlik for "The Harris Incident" (1979)

1980s|

* James Burrows for "Louie and the Nice Girl" (1980)
* James Burrows for "Elaine's Strange Triangle" (1981)
* Alan Rafkin for "Barbara's Crisis" (1982)
* James Burrows for "Showdown: Part 2" (1983)
* Bill Persky for "A Very Loud Family" (1984)
* Jay Sandrich for "The Younger Woman" (1985)
* Jay Sandrich for "Denise's Friend" (1986)
* Terry Hughes for "Isn't It Romantic?" (1987)
* Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot (Hooperman)" (1988)
* Peter Baldwin for "Our Miss White" (1989)

1990s|

* Michael Dinner for "Good-bye" (1990)
* James Burrows for "Woody Interruptus" (1991)
* Barnet Kellman for "Birth 101" (1992)
* Betty Thomas for "For Peter's Sake" (1993)
* James Burrows for "The Good Son" (1994)
* David Lee for "The Matchmaker" (1995)
* Michael Lembeck for "The One After the Superbowl" (1996)
* David Lee for "To Kill a Talking Bird" (1997)
* Todd Holland for "Flip" (1998)
* Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (Sports Night) (1999)

2000s|

* Todd Holland for "Pilot" (Malcolm in the Middle) (2000)
* Todd Holland for "Bowling" (2001)
* Michael Patrick King for "The Real Me" (2002)
* Robert B. Weide for "Krazee-Eyez Killa" (2003)
* Anthony and Joe Russo for "Pilot" (Arrested Development) (2004)
* Charles McDougall for "Pilot" (Desperate Housewives) (2005)
* Marc Buckland for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2006)
* Richard Shepard for "Pilot" (Ugly Betty) (2007)
* Barry Sonnenfeld for "Pie-lette" (2008)
* Jeffrey Blitz for "Stress Relief" (2009)

2010s|

* Ryan Murphy for "Pilot" (Glee) (2010)
* Michael Spiller for "Halloween" (2011)
* Steven Levitan for "Baby on Board" (2012)
* Gail Mancuso for "Arrested" (2013)
* Gail Mancuso for "Las Vegas" (2014)
* Joey Soloway for "Best New Girl" (2015)
* Joey Soloway for "Man on the Land" (2016)
* Donald Glover for "B.A.N." (2017)
* Amy Sherman-Palladino for "Pilot" (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) (2018)
* Harry Bradbeer for "Episode 1" (2019)

2020s|

* Andrew Cividino and Dan Levy for "Happy Ending" (2020)
* Lucia Aniello for "There Is No Line" (2021)
* MJ Delaney for "No Weddings and a Funeral" (2022)
* Christopher Storer for "Review" (2023)
* Christopher Storer for "Fishes" (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

1950s|

* James Allardice & Jack Douglas & Hal Kanter & Harry Winkler for The George Gobel Show (1955)
* Arnold M. Auerbach & Barry Blitzer & Vincent Bogert & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Harvey Orkin & Arnold Rosen & Terry Ryan & Tony Webster for The Phil Silvers Show (1956)
* No Award (1957)
* Billy Friedberg & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Arnold Rosen & A.J. Russell & Terry Ryan & Phil Sharp & Tony Webster & Sydney Zelinka for The Phil Silvers Show (1958)
* George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1959)

1960s|

* George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1960)
* Dave O'Brien & Martin Ragaway & Sherwood Schwartz & Al Schwartz & Red Skelton for The Red Skelton Show (1961)
* Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1962)
* Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963)
* No Award (1964)
* No Award (1965)
* Sam Denoff & Bill Persky for "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" (1966)
* Buck Henry & Leonard B. Stern for "Ship of Spies: Parts 1 and 2" (1967)
* Allan Burns & Chris Hayward for "The Coming Out Party" (1968)
* No Award (1969)

1970s|

* No Award (1970)
* James L. Brooks & Allan Burns for "Support Your Local Mother" (1971)
* Burt Styler for "Edith's Problem" (1972)
* Lee Kalcheim & Michael Ross & Bernie West for "The Bunkers and the Swingers" (1973)
* Treva Silverman for "The Lou and Edie Story" (1974)
* Stan Daniels & Ed. Weinberger for "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?" (1975)
* David Lloyd for "Chuckles Bites the Dust" (1976)
* James L. Brooks & Allan Burns & Stan Daniels & Bob Ellison & David Lloyd & Ed. Weinberger for "The Last Show" (1977)
* Harve Brosten & Barry Harman & Bob Schiller & Bob Weiskopf for "Cousin Liz" (1978)
* No Award (1979)

1980s|

* R.J. Colleary for "The Photographer" (1980)
* Michael J. Leeson for "Tony's Sister and Jim" (1981)
* Ken Estin for "Elegant Iggy" (1982)
* Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1983)
* David Angell for "Old Flames" (1984)
* Ed. Weinberger & Michael J. Leeson for "Pilot" (The Cosby Show) (1985)
* Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan for "A Little Romance" (1986)
* Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger for "A, My Name is Alex" (1987)
* Hugh Wilson for "The Bridge" (1988)
* Diane English for "Pilot" (Murphy Brown) (1989)

1990s|

* Bob Brush for "Good-bye" (1990)
* Gary Dontzig & Steven Peterman for "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way" (1991)
* Elaine Pope & Larry Charles for "The Fix-Up" (1992)
* Larry David for "The Contest" (1993)
* David Angell & Peter Casey & David Lee for "The Good Son" (1994)
* Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano for "An Affair to Forget" (1995)
* Joe Keenan & Christopher Lloyd & Rob Greenberg & Jack Burditt & Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano & Linda Morris & Vic Rauseo for "Moon Dance" (1996)
* Ellen DeGeneres & Mark Driscoll & Dava Savel & Tracy Newman & Jonathan Stark for "The Puppy Episode" (1997)
* Peter Tolan & Garry Shandling for "Flip" (1998)
* Jay Kogen for "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (1999)

2000s|

* Linwood Boomer for "Pilot" (Malcolm in the Middle) (2000)
* Alex Reid for "Bowling" (2001)
* Larry Wilmore for "Pilot" (The Bernie Mac Show) (2002)
* Tucker Cawley for "Baggage" (2003)
* Mitchell Hurwitz for "Pilot" (Arrested Development) (2004)
* Mitchell Hurwitz & Jim Vallely for "Righteous Brothers" (2005)
* Greg Garcia for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2006)
* Greg Daniels for "Gay Witch Hunt" (2007)
* Tina Fey for "Cooter" (2008)
* Matt Hubbard for "Reunion" (2009)

2010s|

* Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd for "Pilot" (Modern Family) (2010)
* Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman for "Caught in the Act" (2011)
* Louis C.K. for "Pregnant" (2012)
* Tina Fey & Tracey Wigfield for "Last Lunch" (2013)
* Louis C.K. for "So Did the Fat Lady" (2014)
* Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche for "Election Night" (2015)
* Aziz Ansari & Alan Yang for "Parents" (2016)
* Aziz Ansari & Lena Waithe for "Thanksgiving" (2017)
* Amy Sherman-Palladino for "Pilot" (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) (2018)
* Phoebe Waller-Bridge for "Episode 1" (2019)

2020s|

* Dan Levy for "Happy Ending" (2020)
* Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky for "There Is No Line" (2021)
* Quinta Brunson for "Pilot" (Abbott Elementary) (2022)
* Christopher Storer for "System" (2023)
* Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for "Bulletproof" (2024)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data

Artists|

* Emmy Awards

Other|

* IdRef

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