NBC PHOTO BY PETER IOVINO
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAP ITAL CITIES/ABC, I NC.
dents in Jamaica. "They asked me to
Opposite page: Bruce Miller was nominated for an
head the writing staff, which was very Emmy for composing the theme music for NBC's
unusual for someone that young," he
"Frasier," starring Kelsey Grammer and Peri Gilpin.
says. "We shot it in its entirety in Ja-
Above: When Mark Levin, formerly of Bloomfield Hills,
maica, and it gave me a chance to learn
elements of the business that I hadn't be- was 27, he co-created "Earth 2" with Steven
Spielberg's company. The series, starring Rebecca
fore. I learned how to delegate authori-
ty and develop a script from the idea Gayheart, lasted one season.
phase all the way to being shot and edit- Right: "Bing Crosby was by far the most difficult to
work with," recalls Ron Herman, who was the
ed."
At age 27, Levin co-created his first technical operations supervisor for several episodes of
show, called "Earth 2," with Steven Spiel- the "Barbara Walters Show." "He demanded that
berg's company. Although it lasted only things be performed in a certain way ... Bing came out
and went into a tirade that no one under any
one season for NBC, Levin found his po-
circumstances would be allowed on his property in
sition as executive producer to be very
shorts. So I had to send the crew back ... and have
rewarding.
them change and put on long pants."
Most recently, Levin co-created along
with his wife Jennifer Flackett a half-
dio station was being built at
hour film comedy called "Roadie" about the rock 'n' roll
the school, Herman applied
world, which may be slated for an ABC mid-season. re-
for a job.
placement.
"I worked as a producer,
To whom or what does Levin attribute his success?
and that's where I spent most
"I have had a lot of encouragement as I went along, es-
of my free time," he says. "But
pecially from my parents," says Levin, who calls Los
about the end of my junior
Angeles home.
year, I realized that watching
records turn around a platter was not visually stimu-
on Herman, too, attributes his success to the sup-
lating and I wanted to work in television."
port from his family. His interest in the world of
Herman began at Channel 56, helping out at its an-
communications began while he was a student at nual auction. The next fall, he was hired as a part-time
Southfield High in 1967. After hearing that a ra-
production technician to operate the camera and video-
tape machines. By the time he left Channel 56 four years
later, he was a producer/director.
Continuing his interest in TV, Herman, who completed
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