{{short description|American screenwriter, producer, director and actor}} {{About|the television screenwriter|the Pennsylvania mobster|William D'Elia}} {{BLP sources|date=November 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2013}}<!--[[WP:STRONGNAT]]-->
{{Infobox person | name = Bill D'Elia | image = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [[brackets]] --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = William D'Elia | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | birth_place = [[Queens]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S. | occupation = {{Flatlist | *Screenwriter *Producer *Director *Actor }} | years_active = 1989–present | education = {{plainlist| * [[Ithaca College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]) * [[William Paterson University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) }} | children = {{Plainlist}} * [[Chris D'Elia]] * Matt D'Elia {{Endplainlist}} | spouse = Ellie Dombroski }} '''William D'Elia''' is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.
==Life== D'Elia grew up in [[Queens]], [[New York City]], and is a second generation [[Italian-American]].<ref name=WPMag-Billfather-2001>{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Babara E.|title=Bill D' Elia: Hollywood Storyteller|url=http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm|website=WP: The Magazine of William Paterson University|access-date=July 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230112149/http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm|archive-date=30 December 2001|date=Winter 2001}}</ref> He graduated from [[Ithaca College]], and earned a [[master's degree]] in [[Communication studies|communication arts]] from [[William Paterson University]] in 1972.
D'Elia has two sons with his wife, Ellie Dombroski: actor and comedian [[Chris D'Elia]], and filmmaker Matt D'Elia.
==Career== In the 1980s, D'Elia was a director of television commercials. In 1989, he independently produced and directed the film ''The Feud'', based on the 1983 novel by [[Thomas Berger (novelist)|Thomas Berger]]. The film attracted the attention of [[Steven Bochco]], who hired D'Elia to direct an episode of ''[[Doogie Howser, M.D.]]''. D'Elia went on to direct episodes of numerous other television series including ''[[Northern Exposure]]'', ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', ''[[Chicago Hope]]'', ''[[Ally McBeal]]'', ''[[The Practice]]'', ''[[Boston Legal]]'', and ''[[The West Wing]]''. D'Elia was an executive producer and a director of ''[[Chicago Hope]]'', ''[[Boston Legal]]'', ''[[Ally McBeal]]'', ''[[Harry's Law]]'', ''[[Monday Mornings]]'', ''[[The Crazy Ones]]'' (all collaborations with [[David E. Kelley]]), and the [[Shonda Rhimes]] series [[How to Get Away with Murder|''How To Get Away With Murder'']]. He also co-created the series ''[[Judging Amy]]''. He is currently{{As of?|date=May 2021}} an executive producer and a director for the [[Disney+]] series ''[[Big Shot (TV series)|Big Shot]]'' starring [[John Stamos]].
==Awards== D'Elia has been nominated for a total of eight [[Emmy Award]]s – four as director and four as executive producer: ''Chicago Hope'' (two for producing, one for directing); one for directing ''Ally McBeal''; and two each for producing and directing ''Boston Legal''.
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="3"| Functioned as ! rowspan="2"| Notes |- ! style="width:60px;"| [[Film director|Director]] ! style="width:60px;"| [[Film producer|Producer]] ! style="width:60px;"| [[Screenwriter|Writer]] |- | 1989 | ''The Feud'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |- | 1995 | ''Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Television film |- | 1995 | ''[[In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Television film |- | 1996 | ''The Tomorrow Man'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Television film |- | 2011 | ''American Animal'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="3"| Functioned as ! rowspan="2"| Notes |- ! style="width:60px;"| [[Film director|Director]] ! style="width:60px;"| [[Film producer|Producer]] ! style="width:60px;"| [[Screenwriter|Writer]] |- | 1992 | ''[[Law & Order]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Forgiveness" (Season 3, Episode 3) |- | 1991–1993 | ''[[Doogie Howser, M.D.]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "My Two Dads" (Season 2, Episode 18)<br>"Double Doogie with Cheese" (Season 3, Episode 15)<br>"Spell It 'M-A-N'" (Season 4, Episode 14) |- | 1991–1993 | ''[[Reasonable Doubts]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "...and Sleep Won't Come" (Season 1, Episode 5)<br>"Home Is Where the Heart Is" (Season 1, Episode 18)<br>"Mercury in Retrograde" (Season 2, Episode 5)<br>"Trust Me on This: Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 22)<br>"Trust Me on This: Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 23) |- | 1991–1994 | ''[[Northern Exposure]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "War and Peace" (Season 2, Episode 6)<br>"Only You" (Season 3, Episode 2)<br>"A-Hunting We Will Go" (Season 3, Episode 8)<br>"Northern Lights" (Season 4, Episode 18)<br>"Fish Story" (Season 5, Episode 18) |- | 1992–1993 | ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Baby Makes Five" (Season 2, Episode 22)<br>"Back in the High Life Again" (Season 3, Episode 19)<br>"So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye" (Season 4, Episode 1) |- | 1993 | ''[[Harts of the West]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "The Right Stuff" (Season 1, Episode 2)<br>"Goodnight Irene" (Season 1, Episode 5)<br>"Jake's Brother" (Season 1, Episode 8) |- | 1993–1995 | ''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Pheromone, My Lovely" (Season 1, Episode 10)<br>"Foundling" (Season 1, Episode 16)<br>"The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) |- | 1994 | ''[[Picket Fences]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Abominable Snowman" (Season 2, Episode 13)<br>"Away in the Manger" (Season 3, Episode 10) |- | 1995 | ''[[Courthouse (TV series)|Courthouse]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes |- | 1996 | ''Time Well Spent'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Pilot only |- | 1996–2000 | ''[[Chicago Hope]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | [[List of Chicago Hope episodes#Season 3 (1996–1997)|Season 3]]–[[List of Chicago Hope episodes#Season 6 (1999–2000)|6]] |- | 1999 | ''[[Get Real (U.S. TV series)|Get Real]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Performance Anxiety" (Season 1, Episode 6) |- | 1999–2004 | ''[[The West Wing]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "The Short List" (Season 1, Episode 9)<br>"Guns Not Butter" (Season 4, Episode 12)<br>"The Warfare of Genghis Khan" (Season 5, Episode 13) |- | 1999–2005 | ''[[Judging Amy]]'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | All episodes |- | 2000–2002 | ''[[Ally McBeal]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | [[Ally McBeal (season 4)|Season 4]]–[[Ally McBeal (season 5)|5]] |- | 2002 | ''[[American Dreams]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Soldier Boy" (Season 1, Episode 6) |- | 2002 | ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Al Gore/Phish" (Season 28, Episode 8) |- | 2003 | ''[[Queens Supreme]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | All episodes |- | 2003 | ''[[The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | "Sleeping Lions" (Season 1, Episode 4) |- | 2003 | ''[[Miracles (TV series)|Miracles]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | "Saint Debbie" (Season 1, Episode 10) |- | 2003 | ''111 Gramercy Park'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Pilot only |- | 2004 | ''[[The Practice]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | "The Case Against Alan Shore" (Season 8, Episode 18)<br>"The Firm" (Season 8, Episode 19)<br>"Comings and Goings" (Season 8, Episode 20)<br>"New Hoods on the Block" (Season 8, Episode 21)<br>"Adjourned" (Season 8, Episode 22) |- | 2004–2008 | ''[[Boston Legal]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes as producer<br>17 episodes as director |- | 2009 | ''[[Law & Order: Criminal Intent]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Rock Star" (Season 8, Episode 2) |- | 2009 | ''[[Eastwick (TV series)|Eastwick]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Mooning and Crooning" (Season 1, Episode 5) |- | 2009 | ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Hairography" (Season 1, Episode 11) |- | 2009–2019 | ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Here's to Future Days" (Season 5, Episode 23)<br>"Goodbye" (Season 6, Episode 2)<br>"Perfect Little Accident" (Season 6, Episode 16)<br>"Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right" (Season 10, Episode 23)<br>"Fear" (Season 10, Episode 24)<br>”1-800-799-7233” (Season 14, Episode 9)<br>”Cold As Ice” (Season 14, Episode 23)<br>”Good Shepherd“ (Season 15, Episode 21) |- | 2010 | ''[[The Mentalist]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Redline" (Season 2, Episode 13) |- | 2011 | ''[[Wonder Woman (2011 TV pilot)|Wonder Woman]]'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Pilot only |- | 2011–2012 | ''[[Harry's Law]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes as producer<br>7 episodes as director |- | 2013 | ''[[Monday Mornings]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes as producer<br>4 episodes as director |- | 2013 | ''Chris D'Elia: White Male. Black Comic'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Special television |- | 2013–2014 | ''[[The Crazy Ones]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes |- | 2014 | ''[[Manhattan (TV series)|Manhattan]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "A New Approach to Nuclear Cosmology" (Season 1, Episode 5) |- | 2014–2020 | ''[[How to Get Away with Murder]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | All episodes as producer<br>11 episodes as director |- | 2015 | ''Chris D'Elia Incorrigible'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Special television |- | 2015–2016 | ''[[Blunt Talk]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | 3 episodes as director |- | 2016 | ''[[The Catch (TV series)|The Catch]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "The Package" (Season 1, Episode 8) |- | 2016 | ''[[Goliath (TV series)|Goliath]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Game On" (Season 1, Episode 3) |- | 2017 | ''Chris D'Elia: Man on Fire'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Special television |- | 2018 | ''[[The Good Doctor (American TV series)|The Good Doctor]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | 2 episodes as director |- | 2018 | ''[[The Resident (TV series)|The Resident]]'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | "Identity Crisis" (Season 1, Episode 3) |- | 2019 | ''[[Grand Hotel (American TV series)|Grand Hotel]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | 2 episodes as director |- | 2021-2022 | ''[[Big Shot (TV series)|Big Shot]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | |}
===As actor=== ==== Film ==== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2011 |''[[My Date with Drew]]'' | Himself | Documentary |- |}
==== Television ==== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1995 |''[[Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman]]'' | Superintendent Across the Hall | "The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) |- | 1995 |''[[Courthouse (TV series)|Courthouse]]'' | Judge Wilson | "Order on the Court " (Season 1, Episode 4) |- | 2002 |''[[Ally McBeal]]'' | 'A Chorus Line' Producer | "What I'll Never Do for Love Again" (Season 5, Episode 20) |- |}
==References== {{reflist}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/video/bill-delia-interview-hall-fame-2014|title=Bill D'Elia Interview: Hall of Fame 2014|publisher=Emmy|access-date=July 8, 2012}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0002704}} * {{cite magazine| url=http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm| first=Barbara E. |last=Martin |title=Bill D'Elia: Hollywood Storyteller |magazine=WP| publisher=[[William Paterson University]] |date= Winter 2001| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011230112149/http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm| archive-date=December 30, 2001}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Elia, Bill}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American television directors]] [[Category:American television writers]] [[Category:American male television writers]] [[Category:People from Queens, New York]] [[Category:Television producers from New York City]] [[Category:Ithaca College alumni]] [[Category:William Paterson University alumni]] [[Category:American writers of Italian descent]] [[Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)]]