Michael Zinberg

Updated on Jan 25, 2024

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Years active 1971–present Spouse(s) Leslie Zinberg		Name Michael Zinberg Role Television Director
Full Name Michael Allan Zinberg Born March 22, 1944 (age 80) ( 1944-03-22 ) Bexar County, Texas Alma mater University of Texas at Austin Occupation Television Director TV Producer TV Writer Former TV Executive Education University of Texas at Austin Movies and TV shows A Christmas Wedding, Accidental Meeting, Heart of the City, Fathers and Sons Awards Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series Nominations Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series Similar People Donald P Bellisario, Deborah Pratt, Paul Brown, David Bellisario, Jay Tarses

John Wilder/Michael Zinberg Productions/Warner Bros. Television (1984)

Michael Allan Zinberg (born March 22, 1944), is an American television director, producer and writer.

Early life

Zinberg was born in Bexar County, Texas to Dorothy Zinberg (née Rissien) and William Zinberg. Graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, TX.

He is an alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, where he was an English major.

Career

Zinberg moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1968, with his first job as an usher at CBS Television City. He worked his way up to become a production assistant and then a writer, eventually working as an Associate Producer on the James Garner TV show Nichols.

MTM Productions

In 1972, Zinberg joined the MTM Productions television production company that was founded by Mary Tyler Moore's husband, Grant Tinker. While at MTM Productions he wrote, produced and directed The Bob Newhart Show for six seasons, as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among other popular TV shows of the 1970s and 1980s.

Executive career

From 1979 to 1981, Zinberg was VP Production Development at NBC, where he was responsible for Hill Street Blues, Cheers, as well as other programs.

From 1993 to 1995, Zinberg was President of NBC Productions, where he oversaw Homicide: Life on the Street, JAG, and all NBC Late Night programming.

Directing

Zinberg continues to produce direct many episodic TV programs, including Rizzoli & Isles, where he serves as Executive Producer. He has directed current shows like The Good Wife, The Blacklist, and NCIS: New Orleans, among others. He counts John Rich, John Frankenheimer, Bob Butler, and Gene Reynolds as inspiration for his directing work.

Filmography

Selected work

1971-1972: Nichols - Assistant Producer, 24 episodes

1972-1974: The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Associate Producer, 24 episodes; Assistant Producer, 24 episodes

1972-1978: The Bob Newhart Show - Associate Producer, 75 episodes; Producer, 33 episodes; Executive Producer, 22 episodes; Director, 15 episodes

1976-1978: The Tony Randall Show - Director, 5 episodes

1982-1983: Taxi - Director, 6 episodes

1978-1979: WKRP in Cincinnati - Director, 4 episodes

1983-1984: The Yellow Rose - Executive Producer, 22 episodes

1987-1988: L.A. Law - Director, 2 episodes

1989-1990: Midnight Caller - Director - 3 episodes

1990-1991: Quantum Leap - Co-Executive Producer, 24 episodes; Director, 9 episodes

1996-1998: JAG - Co-Executive Producer, 7 episodes; Director, 2 episodes

1996-1997: Men Behaving Badly - Director, 16 episodes

1999-2002: Everybody Loves Raymond - Director, 5 episodes

1999-2004: The Practice - Director, 8 episodes

2003-2009: Monk - Director, 5 episodes

2004-2005: Gilmore Girls - Director, 6 episodes

2008-2010: Private Practice - Director, 5 episodes

2009-2010: Lie to Me - Director, 4 episodes

2010-2011: Rizzoli & Isles - Executive Producer, 15 episodes; Director, 5 episodes

2010-2015: The Good Wife - Director, 13 episodes

2014-2015: NCIS - Director, 2 episodes

2015-2016: The Carmichael Show - Director, 2 episodes

Emmys

1977: Outstanding Comedy Series, The Bob Newhart Show (CBS)

1991: Outstanding Drama Series, Quantum Leap (NBC)

1992: Outstanding Drama Series, Quantum Leap (NBC)

Zinberg has won the following awards and has served on the following bodies:

The Lifetime Achievement Award from The Caucus of Writers, Producers and Directors

Board Member, The Western Directors Council

Co-Chair of the DGA Television Creative Rights Committee

1983: The Young Texas Exes Award, University of Texas at Austin

1994: The College of Communication Outstanding Alumnus Award, University of Texas at Austin

UT College of Communication Foundation Advisory Council, University of Texas at Austin

Personal life

Zinberg has been married to Leslie Zinberg (née Fierman), a writer and designer, since 1969.

References

Michael Zinberg Wikipedia

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