KELLEY, David E. 1956–

PERSONAL

Full name, David Edward Kelley; born April 4, 1956, in Waterville, ME; son of Jack (a civic center operations director and hockey coach) and Ginny Kelley; married Michelle Pfeiffer (an actress), November 13, 1993; children: Claudia Rose, John Henry. Education: Princeton University, B.A., 1979; Boston University, J.D., 1983. Avocational Interests: Cribbage.

Addresses:

Office—David E. Kelley Productions, 1600 Rosecrans Ave., Building 4B, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Agent—William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Manager—Marty Adelstein, Adelstein–Parouse Productions, 9606 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Career:

Producer, writer, and story editor. David E. Kelley Productions, Manhattan Beach, CA, principal, c. 1992—; executive and creative consultant for television. Professional hockey player in Switzerland, c. 1979–80; Fine & Ambrogne, Boston, MA, lawyer, 1983–86.

Awards, Honors:

George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award, Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Georgia, 1987, for Doogie Howser, M.D.; Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding drama series, 1988, and Emmy awards (with others), outstanding drama series, 1989, 1990, and 1991, all for L.A. Law; Emmy Award nominations (with others), outstanding writing in a drama series, 1988, for "Beauty and Obese" and "Full Marital Jacket," 1989, for "I'm in the Nude for Love" and "His Suit Is Hirsute," 1990, for "Bang … Zoom … Zap," and 1991, for "Mutinies on the Banzai," and Emmy awards (with others), outstanding writing in a drama series, 1990, for "Blood, Sweat, & Fears," and 1991, for "On the Toad Again," all episodes of L.A. Law; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing in a drama series, 1989, and Edgar Allan Poe Award nomination (with others), Mystery Writers of America, best television episode, 1990, both for "Urine Trouble Now," L.A. Law; Edgar Allan Poe Award nomination (with others) and Writers Guild of America Award nomination (with others), both outstanding episodic drama, 1991, for "Justice Swerved," L.A. Law; Alumni Award, Boston University, 1992; Emmy awards (with others), outstanding drama series, 1993 and 1994, and Humanitas Prize (with others), Human Family Educational and Cultural Institute, sixty–minute category, 1996, all for Picket Fences; Edgar Allan Poe Award nomination, best television episode, 1994, for "Turpitude," Picket Fences; Emmy Award nominations (with others), outstanding drama series, 1995 and 1996, and E Pluribus Unum Award, Cinema Foundation, best television series, all for Chicago Hope; Writers Guild of America Award nomination (with others), outstanding episodic drama, 1996, for "Saint Zack," Picket Fences; Paul Selvin Honorary Award, Writers Guild of America, 1996; Golden Globe awards, best musical or comedy television series, 1997 and 1998, George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award, 1998, Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding comedy series, 1998, Emmy Award (with others), outstanding comedy series, 1999, Television Award nomination, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, best international program or series, 1999, Television Critics Association Award, outstanding individual achievement in drama, 1999, TV Guide Award nominations, favorite comedy series, 2000, and comedy series of the year, 2001, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best musical or comedy television series, 2002, all for Ally McBeal; International Monitor Award (with others), best achievement in film originated television series, 1998, for "Cro–Magnon," Ally McBeal; Emmy Award nominations, outstanding writing for a comedy series, 1998, for "Theme of Life," and 1999, for "Sideshow," both Ally McBeal; honored by Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and by Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, Museum of Television and Radio, 1998; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding writing for a drama series, 1998, and Writers Guild of America Award nomination, best episodic drama, 1999, both for "Betrayal," The Practice; George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award, 1998, Golden Globe Award, best dramatic television series, 1998, Emmy awards (with others), outstanding drama series, 1998 and 1999, Norman Felton Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Television (with others), Golden Laurel awards, Producers Guild of America, 1999, TV Guide Award nomination, favorite drama series, 2000, and Emmy Award nominations (with others), outstanding drama series, 2000 and 2001, all for The Practice; Edgar Allan Poe Award nominations (with others), best television episode, 1998, for "First Degree," and 2002, for "Killing Time," both The Practice; Astral Award of Excellence, Banff Television Festival, 1999; Showman of the Year Award, Monte Carlo Television Festival, 2000; Media Award, Prevention for a Safer Society, television and video category, 2000; David Susskind Lifetime Achievement Award in Television, Golden Laurel awards, 2001; Brandon Tartikoff Award, TV Guide awards, 2001; honored by Tourette Syndrome Association, 2001; Career Achievement Award, Casting Society of America, 2002; Humanitas Prize (with others), sixty–minute category, 2002, for "Honor Code," and 2003, for "Final Judgment," both The Practice; Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement, Writers Guild of America, 2003; George Foster Peabody Broadcasting Award, 2003, for Boston Public; Edgar Allan Poe Award (with others), best television episode, 2004, for "Goodbye," The Practice; Television Showmanship Award, Publicists Guild of America.

CREDITS

Television Work; Series:

Story editor and coproducer, L.A. Law, NBC, 1987–88.

Executive story editor, L.A. Law, NBC, 1988.

Supervising producer, L.A. Law, NBC, 1988–90.

Creator (with Steven Bochco) and supervising producer, Doogie Howser, M.D., ABC, 1989–93.

Executive producer, L.A. Law, NBC, 1990–91.

Creator and executive producer, Picket Fences, CBS, 1992–96.

Creator and executive producer, Chicago Hope, CBS, 1994–95.

Creator and executive producer, Ally McBeal, Fox, 1997–2002.

Creator and executive producer, The Practice, ABC, 1997–2004.

Creator and executive producer, Ally, Fox, 1999.

Creator and executive producer, Snoops, ABC, 1999.

Creator and executive producer, Boston Public, Fox, 2000–2002.

Creator and executive producer, Girls Club (also known as girls club), Fox, 2002.

Creator, The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (also known as The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.), CBS, 2003.

Creator and executive producer, Boston Legal, ABC, 2004.

Creator and executive producer, The Law Firm, NBC, beginning 2005.

Executive producer, Halley's Comet, The WB, beginning 2005.

Television Executive Producer; Pilots:

(And creator) Picket Fences, CBS, 1992.

(And creator) Chicago Hope, CBS, 1994.

Mixed Nuts, NBC, 1996.

(And creator) The Practice, ABC, 1997.

DeMarco Affairs, ABC, 2004.

Five Finger Discount, NBC, 2004.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Himself, TV Land Moguls, TV Land, 2004.

Television Appearances; Specials:

The L.A. Law 100th Episode Special, NBC, 1991.

Today at Night, NBC, 1994.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Thirteenth Annual Genesis Awards, Animal Planet, 1999.

The 2001 TV Guide Awards, Fox, 2001.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

(Uncredited) "Swan Chant," Snoops, ABC, 2000.

Himself, "Ray Walston: No Antennae, Please," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Film Producer:

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, Triumph Releasing, 1996.

Lake Placid (also known as Lac Placid), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1999.

Mystery, Alaska, Buena Vista, 1999.

Film Appearances:

Himself, Frankie and Johnny Are Married, IFC Films, 2004.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Series:

L.A. Law, NBC, 1986–91.

Picket Fences (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), CBS, 1992–96.

(With others) Chicago Hope (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), CBS, 1994–2000.

Ally McBeal (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), Fox, 1997–2002.

The Practice (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), ABC, 1997–2004.

Ally, Fox, 1999.

Boston Public (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), Fox, 2000–2004.

(With others) Boston Legal (some episodes also based on stories by Kelley), ABC, beginning 2004.

Teleplays; Episodic:

(With Steven Bochco) "A Stitch Called Wanda," Doogie Howser, M.D., ABC, 1989.

(With Everett Owens) "Bedfellas," Snoops, ABC, 1999.

"Constitution," Snoops, ABC, 1999.

"The Grinch," Snoops, ABC, 1999.

"Singer in the Band," Snoops, ABC, 1999.

"Falling Acorns," The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (also known as The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.), CBS, 2003.

"Little Girl Lost," The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (also known as The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.), CBS, 2003.

"Sleeping Lions," The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (also known as The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.), CBS, 2003.

"Tough Love," The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (also known as The Brotherhood of Poland, N.H.), CBS, 2003.

The Law Firm, NBC, 2005.

Teleplays; Pilots:

(With Steven Bochco) Doogie Howser, M.D., ABC, 1989.

Picket Fences, CBS, 1992.

Chicago Hope, CBS, 1994.

Mixed Nuts, NBC, 1996.

Ally McBeal, Fox, 1997.

The Practice, ABC, 1997.

Snoops, ABC, 1999.

Girls Club (also known as girls club), Fox, 2002.

Screenplays:

(With Bob Clark; and story) From the Hip, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 1987.

To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday (based on a play by Michael Brady), Triumph Releasing, 1996.

Lake Placid (also known as Lac Placid), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1999.

Mystery, Alaska, Buena Vista, 1999.

Chasing Montana, Focus Features, 2005.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Broadcasting & Cable, May 1, 1995, p. 10; June 12, 1995, p. 16; February 1, 1999, p. 32; April 26, 1999, p. 29.

Entertainment Weekly, June 13, 1997, p. 13; September 25, 1998, pp. 32–40; January 22, 1999, p. 84; July 23, 1999, p. 45; September 10, 1999, p. 110; October 1, 1999, p. 58; February 11, 2000, p. 54; September 29, 2000, p. 42; November 3, 2000, p. 30; November 17, 2000, p. 103.

Mediaweek, October 23, 1995, p. 5.

People Weekly, October 19, 1998, p. 180; December 31, 1999, p. 84.

Time, May 31, 1999, p. 88.

U.S. News & World Report, November 20, 1995, p. 81; March 3, 1997, p. 75; May 31, 1999, p. 14.

Variety, June 14, 1999, p. 25; September 20, 1999, p. 36.

Washington Post, February 22, 1998, p. G1; September 13, 1999, p. C1.

David E. Kelley
1956-

Television producer

Producer of the Decade

At the end of the 1990s, David E. Kelley had five shows on television and Emmys for Best Drama and Best Comedy. Without a doubt, Kelley was the most influential TV producer of the decade. Kelley started his TV career as a story editor for L.A. Law (1986-1994). The next year he became executive story editor and then supervising producer. When Steven Bochco left the show after its third season, Kelley became executive producer. Following L.A. Law, Kelley was creative consultant for Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989-1993), another Bochco production, and then executive producer of Picket Fences (1992-1996), Chicago Hope (1994-), Ally McBeal (1997-), The Practice (1997-), and Snoops (1999-). His shows have won seven Emmys for Out-standing Drama and Outstanding Comedy.

Background

Kelley was born in Maine in 1956. He attended Princeton University and Boston University Law School. An associate at a law firm in 1983, he used his legal experience as the basis for a movie script that was produced as From the Hip (1987), starring Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, and John Hurt. When Bochco was planning L.A. Law, he began to look for writers with some legal expertise. He saw Kelley's script and invited him to discuss the possibility of writing an episode of L.A. Law. The meeting was so successful that Bochco hired Kelley as a story editor for the show. Bochco was Kelley's mentor, and when he left the show to produce NYPD Blue (1993-), Kelley stepped into his shoes as executive producer and continued to write scripts for the show. In 1993, Kelley married actress Michelle Pfeiffer.

Quirky, Vulnerable Characters

The one thing Kelley's vast array of programs had in common was characters who were vulnerable, needy, quirky, ridiculous, and often embarrassed; they struggled with difficulties, as well as complex moral and ethical questions. Five-time Emmy Award-winning Chicago Hope followed the personal and professional dilemmas of medical personnel in a leading urban hospital. Against the backdrop of high-tech medicine and the ever-changing world of modern health care, the staff members attempted to maintain sanity in a place with a reputation for being "the last, best hope," a hospital that provided treatment no other institution could or dared to give. Ally McBeal and The Practice could be considered two sides of the same coin. One a comedy and the other a drama, both were set in the world of the courtroom. Ally McBeal focused on a young, single lawyer who joined a rather unconventional law firm in which her former longtime boyfriend worked. One of the most interesting elements of the show was its blending of fantasy with reality—Ally's interior life often appeared on the screen—dancing babies and unicorns, for example. Neither did the show shy away from controversial issues, often engaging and offending viewers at the same time. It was an immediate hit, pulling in an average of 11.4 million viewers a week in its first season. The Practice, a more serious courtroom drama focusing on the complexities and moral ambiguities of the legal system, premiered on 4 March 1997 to immediate high acclaim. In 1999 The Practice was nominated for thirteen Emmy Awards and won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Series and the George Foster Peabody Award for overall excellence. Kelley's last production of the decade was Snoops, a detective show in which three female private eyes teamed up with a surveillance expert to solve cases, which premiered 26 September 1999.