Bill Persky


Biography

Emmy Award-winning television writer, producer, and director Bill Persky had a storied career behind the scenes, predominantly in the 1960s and 1980s. As a young sitcom writer, he came aboard "The Dick Van Dyke Show" on CBS in 1963. He won two Emmys for co-writing specific episodes for the series, which concluded in 1966. He served as a producer for its final season. He then worked to de...

Biography

Emmy Award-winning television writer, producer, and director Bill Persky had a storied career behind the scenes, predominantly in the 1960s and 1980s. As a young sitcom writer, he came aboard "The Dick Van Dyke Show" on CBS in 1963. He won two Emmys for co-writing specific episodes for the series, which concluded in 1966. He served as a producer for its final season. He then worked to develop a show with former writing partner Sam Denoff, entitled "That Girl," an ABC sitcom starring Marlo Thomas as an aspiring actress attempting to fulfill her dream of stardom in Manhattan. The show, which Persky also executive produced and produced, ended its five-season run in 1971. Persky produced a variety of TV specials until a new idea came along in the 1980s: "Kate & Allie" was a CBS sitcom about two childhood female friends who share a Greenwich Village apartment after their divorces. Although Persky didn't develop the show, he served as a director and producer on most episodes. He won an Emmy in its first season for directing. When the show dropped in ratings in 1989, CBS canceled it. Persky attempted to work again with "Kate & Allie" actress Jane Curtin on "Working It Out," a 1990 NBC sitcom he created. It lasted half a season and Persky retired from the business shortly afterward.

Filmography

 

Director (Feature Film)

Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home! (1983)
Director
Found Money (1983)
Director
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer (1983)
Director
Serial (1980)
Director
How to Pick Up Girls (1978)
Director
Roll, Freddy, Roll! (1974)
Director

Cast (Feature Film)

Water (1986)

Writer (Feature Film)

Water (1986)
Screenplay
Water (1986)
From Story
Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home! (1983)
Screenplay
How to Pick Up Girls (1978)
Screenwriter
Roll, Freddy, Roll! (1974)
Screenwriter
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1972)
Screenplay

Producer (Feature Film)

Roll, Freddy, Roll! (1974)
Producer
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1972)
Producer

Director (Special)

News at Twelve (1991)
Creator
Not in Front of the Kids (1984)
Director
Johnny Garage (1983)
Director
Sutters Bay (1983)
Director
Rise and Shine (1981)
Director
Comedy of Horrors (1981)
Director
Love at First Sight (1980)
Director
My Wife Next Door (1980)
Director
Semi-Tough (1980)
Director
The Single Life (1980)
Director
Me and Ducky (1979)
Director
Big City Boys (1978)
Director
Almost Heaven (1978)
Director
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978)
Director
Husbands and Wives (1977)
Director
Alan King's Final Warning (1977)
Director
Big Eddie (1975)
Director
My Wife Next Door (1975)
Director
The Boys (1974)
Director
Bobby Parker and Company (1974)
Director
The Ted Bessell Show (1973)
Director

Cast (Special)

Brilliant But Cancelled (2002)
That Girl (2001)

Writer (Special)

News at Twelve (1991)
Writer
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978)
Writer
Alan King's Final Warning (1977)
Writer
The Fabulous Funnies (1976)
Writer
The Confessions of Dick Van Dyke (1975)
Writer
My Wife Next Door (1975)
Writer
Big Eddie (1975)
Writer
Bobby Parker and Company (1974)
Writer
The Boys (1974)
Writer
The Funny Side (1971)
Writer
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest (1971)
Writer
Think Pretty (1964)
From Story

Producer (Special)

News at Twelve (1991)
Executive Producer
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978)
Producer
My Wife Next Door (1975)
Producer
The Confessions of Dick Van Dyke (1975)
Producer
Big Eddie (1975)
Producer
The Boys (1974)
Producer
Bobby Parker and Company (1974)
Producer
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest (1971)
Producer
The Funny Side (1971)
Producer

Music (Special)

Johnny Garage (1983)
Theme Music ("Johnny Garage")

Special Thanks (Special)

News at Twelve (1991)
Writer
How to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978)
Writer
Alan King's Final Warning (1977)
Writer
The Fabulous Funnies (1976)
Writer
The Confessions of Dick Van Dyke (1975)
Writer
My Wife Next Door (1975)
Writer
Big Eddie (1975)
Writer
Bobby Parker and Company (1974)
Writer
The Boys (1974)
Writer
The Funny Side (1971)
Writer
The First Nine Months Are the Hardest (1971)
Writer
Think Pretty (1964)
From Story

Misc. Crew (Special)

News at Twelve (1991)
Development

Life Events

Bibliography