# Bill D'Elia

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bill_D'Elia
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bill_D'Elia.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_D'Elia
> Source revision: 1329185130
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American screenwriter, producer, director and actor

This article is about the television screenwriter. For the Pennsylvania mobster, see [William D'Elia](/source/William_D'Elia).

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Bill D'Elia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Bill D'Elia Born William D'Elia Queens, New York, U.S. Education Ithaca College (BA) William Paterson University (MA) Occupations Screenwriter Producer Director Actor Years active 1989–present Spouse Ellie Dombroski Children Chris D'Elia Matt D'Elia

**William D'Elia** is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.

## Life

D'Elia grew up in [Queens](/source/Queens), [New York City](/source/New_York_City), and is a second generation [Italian-American](/source/Italian-American).[1] He graduated from [Ithaca College](/source/Ithaca_College), and earned a [master's degree](/source/Master's_degree) in [communication arts](/source/Communication_studies) from [William Paterson University](/source/William_Paterson_University) in 1972.

D'Elia has two sons with his wife, Ellie Dombroski: actor and comedian [Chris D'Elia](/source/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](/source/Thomas_Berger_(novelist)). The film attracted the attention of [Steven Bochco](/source/Steven_Bochco), who hired D'Elia to direct an episode of *[Doogie Howser, M.D.](/source/Doogie_Howser%2C_M.D.)*. D'Elia went on to direct episodes of numerous other television series including *[Northern Exposure](/source/Northern_Exposure)*, *[Glee](/source/Glee_(TV_series))*, *[Chicago Hope](/source/Chicago_Hope)*, *[Ally McBeal](/source/Ally_McBeal)*, *[The Practice](/source/The_Practice)*, *[Boston Legal](/source/Boston_Legal)*, and *[The West Wing](/source/The_West_Wing)*. D'Elia was an executive producer and a director of *[Chicago Hope](/source/Chicago_Hope)*, *[Boston Legal](/source/Boston_Legal)*, *[Ally McBeal](/source/Ally_McBeal)*, *[Harry's Law](/source/Harry's_Law)*, *[Monday Mornings](/source/Monday_Mornings)*, *[The Crazy Ones](/source/The_Crazy_Ones)* (all collaborations with [David E. Kelley](/source/David_E._Kelley)), and the [Shonda Rhimes](/source/Shonda_Rhimes) series [*How To Get Away With Murder*](/source/How_to_Get_Away_with_Murder). He also co-created the series *[Judging Amy](/source/Judging_Amy)*. He is currently[*[as of?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] an executive producer and a director for the [Disney+](/source/Disney%2B) series *[Big Shot](/source/Big_Shot_(TV_series))* starring [John Stamos](/source/John_Stamos).

## Awards

D'Elia has been nominated for a total of eight [Emmy Awards](/source/Emmy_Award) – 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

Year Title Functioned as Notes Director Producer 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

Year Title Functioned as Notes Director Producer 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) "Double Doogie with Cheese" (Season 3, Episode 15) "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) "Home Is Where the Heart Is" (Season 1, Episode 18) "Mercury in Retrograde" (Season 2, Episode 5) "Trust Me on This: Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 22) "Trust Me on This: Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 23) 1991–1994 Northern Exposure Yes No No "War and Peace" (Season 2, Episode 6) "Only You" (Season 3, Episode 2) "A-Hunting We Will Go" (Season 3, Episode 8) "Northern Lights" (Season 4, Episode 18) "Fish Story" (Season 5, Episode 18) 1992–1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 Yes No No "Baby Makes Five" (Season 2, Episode 22) "Back in the High Life Again" (Season 3, Episode 19) "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) "Goodnight Irene" (Season 1, Episode 5) "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) "Foundling" (Season 1, Episode 16) "The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) 1994 Picket Fences Yes No No "Abominable Snowman" (Season 2, Episode 13) "Away in the Manger" (Season 3, Episode 10) 1995 Courthouse Yes Yes No All episodes 1996 Time Well Spent Yes No No Pilot only 1996–2000 Chicago Hope Yes Yes No Season 3–6 1999 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) "Guns Not Butter" (Season 4, Episode 12) "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 Season 4–5 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 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) "The Firm" (Season 8, Episode 19) "Comings and Goings" (Season 8, Episode 20) "New Hoods on the Block" (Season 8, Episode 21) "Adjourned" (Season 8, Episode 22) 2004–2008 Boston Legal Yes Yes No All episodes as producer 17 episodes as director 2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Yes No No "Rock Star" (Season 8, Episode 2) 2009 Eastwick Yes No No "Mooning and Crooning" (Season 1, Episode 5) 2009 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) "Goodbye" (Season 6, Episode 2) "Perfect Little Accident" (Season 6, Episode 16) "Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right" (Season 10, Episode 23) "Fear" (Season 10, Episode 24) ”1-800-799-7233” (Season 14, Episode 9) ”Cold As Ice” (Season 14, Episode 23) ”Good Shepherd“ (Season 15, Episode 21) 2010 The Mentalist Yes No No "Redline" (Season 2, Episode 13) 2011 Wonder Woman No Yes No Pilot only 2011–2012 Harry's Law Yes Yes No All episodes as producer 7 episodes as director 2013 Monday Mornings Yes Yes No All episodes as producer 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 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 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 Yes No No "The Package" (Season 1, Episode 8) 2016 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 Yes No No 2 episodes as director 2018 The Resident Yes No No "Identity Crisis" (Season 1, Episode 3) 2019 Grand Hotel Yes Yes No 2 episodes as director 2021-2022 Big Shot Yes Yes No

### As actor

#### Film

Year Title Role Notes 2011 My Date with Drew Himself Documentary

#### Television

Year Title Role Notes 1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Superintendent Across the Hall "The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) 1995 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

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WPMag-Billfather-2001_1-0)** Martin, Babara E. (Winter 2001). ["Bill D' Elia: Hollywood Storyteller"](https://web.archive.org/web/20011230112149/http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm). *WP: The Magazine of William Paterson University*. Archived from [the original](http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm) on December 30, 2001. Retrieved July 18, 2014.

- ["Bill D'Elia Interview: Hall of Fame 2014"](http://www.emmys.com/video/bill-delia-interview-hall-fame-2014). Emmy. Retrieved July 8, 2012.

## External links

- [Bill D'Elia](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002704/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- Martin, Barbara E. (Winter 2001). ["Bill D'Elia: Hollywood Storyteller"](https://web.archive.org/web/20011230112149/http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm). *WP*. [William Paterson University](/source/William_Paterson_University). Archived from [the original](http://ww2.wpunj.edu/adminsrv/pub-info/billhollywood.htm) on December 30, 2001.

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States France BnF data Spain Netherlands Norway Poland Other Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bill D'Elia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_D'Elia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_D'Elia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.