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Gail Berman | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1956-08-17)August 17, 1956 (age 69) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Education | University of Maryland |
| Occupation | Media executive |
| Spouse | Bill Masters |
| Children | 2 |
Gail Berman (born August 17, 1956) is an American producer and television executive. She is co-owner and founding partner of The Jackal Group, a production entity formed in partnership withFox Networks Group. The Jackal Group develops and produces scripted, unscripted, and 'factual' entertainment programming for FNG's channels, includingFox Broadcasting Company,FX/FXX, theNational Geographic Channels, andFox International Channels. The partnership also provides for opportunities in digital and film, as well as for non-21st Century Fox distribution entities.[1][2]
Berman was born to aJewish family in Brooklyn. The family soon moved toBellmore, New York, where she was raised.[3] In 1974, she graduated fromAbington High School and in 1978, she graduated with a B.A. in theater from theUniversity of Maryland.[3]
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Berman graduated from the University of Maryland, where she served on the board of trustees.[4] Berman also serves on the board of directors of theCenter Theatre Group, a non-profit company that oversees the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the Kirk Douglas Theatre.[5] Berman is married to sitcom writer Bill Masters and they have two children.
Berman began her career as a theater producer after graduating with a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of Maryland. At 23, she and her college friendSusan Rose co-produced their first Broadway show, the original Broadway production ofJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,[6] which went on to garner seven Tony Award nominations. Berman's other Broadway productions includeHurlyburly by David Rabe (1984), Athol Fugard'sBlood Knot (1985), andThe Nerd by Larry Shue (1987), all of which received Tony Award nominations.
Berman served as president and CEO of production companySandollar Television. During her six years with Sandollar, Berman also served as executive producer on the primetime seriesAll American Girl starringMargaret Cho. During this time, Berman criticized Cho's appearance, spurring Cho to lose weight rapidly enough to experience acute kidney failure.
Berman next served as founding president of Regency Television, the TV studio created in 1998 as a co-venture between Fox Television Studios and New Regency Productions. Under Berman, Regency Television's programs includedMalcolm in the Middle andThe Bernie Mac Show.
Then, Berman served from 2000 to 2005 as president of Entertainment forFox Broadcasting Company. At Fox, Berman was in charge of all program development and scheduling as well as marketing, business affairs, and promotions. Network shows under Berman's tenure includedAmerican Idol,The Simple Life,Hell's Kitchen,Nanny 911,24,The Bernie Mac Show (in which she also produced for Regency TV),The War at Home,House,Arrested Development,Bones,Prison Break,The O.C,Firefly, and bothSeth MacFarlane'sAmerican Dad! andFamily Guy (the latter was originally launched underDoug Herzog's watch, but became an overnight success during Berman's era). Despite originally commissioning the series, Berman is best remembered now for cancellingFirefly following decisions to place it in the “Friday night death slot” and air the episodes out of order.[7]
Berman served as executive producer on bothBuffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-offAngel, and was reported to be involved with thereboot ofBuffy being developed in 2018.[8][9]
Berman became president ofParamount Pictures in March 2005[10] and was responsible for the studio's annual slate of films, including the acquisition of literary properties, development, budgeting, casting, and the production of motion pictures forParamount Pictures,MTV Films andNickelodeon Movies. She left Paramount in January 2007.
Prior to founding The Jackal Group in 2014, Berman spent seven years as the co-founder and co-owner of the media companyBermanBraun withLloyd Braun, which was an innovator in the digital arena, creating and operating successful online brands.[11] The company's properties have included reality and scripted programs as well as live-action and animated projects; the most notable program that was produced by the company would be the game showDuel, which aired onABC between December 2007 and July 2008. In February 2014, Braun became the sole owner of BermanBraun, renaming the companyWhalerock Industries.[12]
Before BermanBraun, Berman was the first and only female executive to hold the top posts at both a major film studio and television network.
In June 2018, she was named co-president of theProducers Guild of America, alongsideLucy Fisher.[13]
In 2019,Fox Corporation and Berman's Jackal Group announced their partnership on a new production venture called SideCar, described as a content development accelerator. Fox will be the sole owner of all series that originate under the SideCar banner.[14] The accelerator's development slate includesMr. Black, the animated comedySaloon, and the dramaThe Perfect Couple.[15] In October 2020, Berman signed on to executive produce the streaming seriesWednesday.[16]
| Business positions | ||
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| Preceded by | President ofFOX 2000-2005 | Succeeded by Peter Liguori |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
