Showrunners, Execs, and Stars Honor Trailblazing TV Agent Bob Broder

On October 10, 2022, a memorial service was held at Warner Bros. Studios to honor the life and legacy of renowned TV agent Bob Broder, who passed away from cancer on September 23, 2022 at the age of 85. The event brought together some of the biggest names in the television industry, including current and former Warner Bros. TV executives, network presidents, top showrunners, and Broder's longtime clients and friends.

Speakers at the memorial shared a mix of heartfelt tributes and amusing anecdotes that captured Broder's tough exterior and brilliant mind, as well as his deep dedication to his clients and the industry he loved. Longtime client Chuck Lorre, the acclaimed comedy showrunner behind hits like "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory," delivered a hilarious and poignant speech, joking that if Broder were alive, "he would have gotten me out of this."

Other notable speakers included director-producer James Burrows, who first clashed with the "a**hole" Broder during a tense negotiation in the 1970s before becoming his client for the next 50 years. Cheers co-creator Les Charles credited Broder with the idea to partner him and Burrows, calling Broder the "creator of Cheers." Cheers star Ted Danson also paid tribute, recalling Broder's memorable cameo in the show's series finale.

Through these personal anecdotes, a portrait emerged of Broder as a tough but fair negotiator, a brilliant strategist, and a trusted mentor and friend to many in the industry. Despite his gruff exterior, captured in his nickname "Darth Broder," he was remembered as a man of integrity who always put his clients' interests first. The memorial service was a fitting tribute to one of the most influential and respected figures in the history of television.