Home / Arts and Entertainment / TV Pioneer Andy Friendly Dies at 74
TV Pioneer Andy Friendly Dies at 74
7 Jan
Summary
- Andy Friendly, a veteran TV executive, passed away on Sunday, January 4th.
- He was instrumental in creating the long-running show 'Entertainment Tonight'.
- Friendly also held significant roles at CNBC and King World Productions.
Andy Friendly, a distinguished television executive and producer, passed away at his home in Bel-Air on Sunday, January 4th. He was 74 years old at the time of his death.
Friendly's impactful career began in news, where he worked as a writer and producer for NBC News and later as a producer for Tom Snyder's "Tomorrow." In 1981, he was instrumental in co-creating the highly successful entertainment news magazine "Entertainment Tonight."
His influence extended to leadership roles at CNBC, overseeing talk shows, and later as president of programming and production at King World Productions. There, he managed programming strategy for major syndicated shows like "Oprah Winfrey" and "Wheel of Fortune." He also served as president of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society and taught at USC.
