Leonard Katzman (September 2, 1927 – September 5, 1996) was an American film and television producer,writer anddirector. He was most notable for being the showrunner of theCBS prime time oil soap operaDallas.^[1]

Leonard Katzman was born to a Jewish family inNew York City. He began his career in the 1940s, while still in his teens, working as anassistant director for his uncle,Hollywood producerSam Katzman. He started onadventuremovie serials such asBrenda Starr, Reporter (1945),Superman (1948),Batman and Robin (1949),The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1951),Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954), et al.^[1] During the 1950s he continued working as an assistant director, mostly with his uncle, infeature films such asA Yank in Korea (1951),The Giant Claw (1957),Face of a Fugitive (1959), andAngel Baby (1961). Besides his big screen work, Katzman also served on television shows, includingThe Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok,The Mickey Rooney Show, andBat Masterson.

In 1960, Katzman made his production debut. He served as assistant director and associate producer on all four seasons ofthe adventure dramaRoute 66 (1960-1964), which he would later regard as his favorite production.^[1] His additional early work in television production (and occasional writing and directing) includes thecrime dramaTallahassee 7000 (1961),western dramaThe Wild Wild West (1965-1969),the second season of crime dramaHawaii Five-O (1969-1970),legal dramaStorefront Lawyers (1970-1971), the final five seasons of western dramaGunsmoke (1970-1975) as well as itsspinoff seriesDirty Sally (1974), legal dramaPetrocelli (1974-1976) for which he was nominated anEdgar Allan Poe Award, and the twoscience fiction dramasThe Fantastic Journey (1977) andLogan's Run (1977-1978). In 1965, he wrote, produced, and directed thescience fiction filmSpace Probe Taurus (also known asSpace Monster). Aside from his work as assistant director, this was his only venture into feature films.

In 1978, Katzman served as producer forthe five-part miniseriesDallas, which would evolve into one of television's longest-running dramas until 1991. While David Jacobs created the series, Katzman became thede facto showrunner duringthe second season, as Jacobs stepped down to create and later runthe Dallas spin-off seriesKnots Landing. Under Katzman's lead,Dallas, whose first episodes had consisted of self-contained stories, evolved into aserial, leading into the '80s trend ofprime-timesoap operas..^[2]

While Katzman headedDallas' writing staff from the show's second season, he remained producer, withPhilip Capice serving asexecutive producer. The creative conflicts between Capice and Katzman eventually led to Katzman stepping down from his production duties on the show forseason nine, instead being billed as a "creative consultant" (during this time, he also worked on the short-lived drama seriesOur Family Honor). However, increased production costs^[2] and decreasing ratings^[3] caused production companyLorimar—along with series starLarry Hagman (J. R. Ewing)^[4]—to ask Katzman to return to the show in his old capacity. Katzman agreed, reportedly under the condition that he would have "total authority" on the show,^[2] and as of thetenth season premiere, he was promoted toexecutive producer, and Capice was let go.

Katzman remained as executive producer onDallas until theseries finale in May 1991. Besides his production work, he also wrote and directed more series episodes than anyone else.

Following"Dallas", Katzman went on to create the short-lived crime dramaDangerous Curves (1992-1993), which aired as a part ofCBS' late-night drama blockCrimetime After Primetime, and serve as executive producer for the second season of theaction dramaWalker, Texas Ranger (1994-1995). His last work was the 1996 "Dallas" reunion movieJ.R. Returns, which he also wrote and directed.

Katzman fathered his first child, Gary Katzman, with Eileen Leener (1929–2019).^[5] Katzman did not raise his first child and left his mother when he was four years old. The child was eventually adopted and took the surname Klein. Through Gary Klein, Katzman is the biological grandfather of Israeli-American internet personalityEthan Klein of theYouTube comedy podcastH3 Podcast.^[6]

Leonard Katzman and his wife LaRue Farlow Katzman^[7] had three children. His daughter, actress Sherril Lynn Rettino (1956-1995), predeceased her father by one year. She played the recurring character Jackie Dugan inDallas from 1979 to 91. His sons Mitchell Wayne Katzman and Frank Katzman, and son-in-law John Rettino all worked onthe production ofDallas' later seasons. Both sons were also involved producingDangerous Curves,Walker, Texas Ranger, andJ. R. Returns.

Katzman died of aheart attack inMalibu, California, on September 5, 1996, three days after his 69th birthday and more than two months prior to the airing of his last production,Dallas: J.R. Returns. There is a dedication to him just before the closing credits ofDallas: J.R. Returns. He was interred in theMount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery inLos Angeles.^[1]

Excluding work asassistant director.

1997: Lone Star Film & Television Awards - Special Award

• Leonard Katzman atIMDb

• 1927 births
• 1996 deaths
• American television directors
• American male television writers
• Television producers from New York City
• Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery
• 20th-century American businesspeople
• Jewish American screenwriters
• Jewish American television writers
• American television writers
• Screenwriters from New York (state)
• 20th-century American screenwriters
• 20th-century American male writers
• 20th-century American Jews

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