{{Short description|American television producer and writer (1959–2025)}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = David Flebotte | image = David_Flebotte.jpg | alt = caucasian male in his fifties wearing an open-neck white shirt and suit jacket | caption = Flebotte in 2017 | birth_name = David Guy Flebotte | birth_date = {{Birth date|1959|10|12}} | birth_place = Hanson, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|7|8|1959|10|12}} | death_place = Missoula, Montana, U.S. | alma_mater = Emerson College | occupation = {{hlist|Television producer|writer}} | years_active = 1993–2024 | spouse = {{Marriage|Sandra Lindqvist|2012}} | children = 2 }}
'''David Guy Flebotte''' (October 12, 1959 – July 8, 2025) was an American television producer and writer.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Burnett |first=James Mark |author-link=Mark Burnett |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Jump_In/iJDYwVbGrkEC?hl=en |title=Jump In!: Even If You Don't Know how to Swim |date=2005 |publisher=Ballantine Books |ISBN=9780345481023 |page=271 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
==Background== Flebotte was born in Hanson, Massachusetts, on October 12, 1959.<ref>{{cite web |title=David G Flebotte |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1732/records/220491783?tid=&pid=&queryId=f4a8e600-7174-41f5-9a25-3938aa85969c&_phsrc=VNY792&_phstart=successSource |access-date=July 10, 2025 |publisher=U.S., Public Records Index, 1950–1993, Volume 2 |via=Ancestry.com}} {{Closed access}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> He attended Emerson College, where a professor encouraged him to take up writing.<ref name = THR>{{cite news|url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/dave-flebotte-dead-desperate-housewives-tulsa-king-1236309976/|title = Dave Flebotte, ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ‘Tulsa King’ Writer-Producer, Dies at 65|date = July 9, 2025|accessdate = July 9, 2025|last1 = Thomas|first1 = Carly|last2 = Barnes|first2 = Mike|work = The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> He briefly did stand-up comedy, performing at open mics at Boston comedy clubs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Champagne |first=Christine |date=June 7, 2017 |title=What It’s Like To Write Stand-Up–Good And Bad–For “I’m Dying Up Here” |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40428246/what-its-like-to-write-standup-good-and-bad-for-im-dying-up-here |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922173759/https://www.fastcompany.com/40428246/what-its-like-to-write-standup-good-and-bad-for-im-dying-up-here |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |access-date=July 9, 2025 |work=Fast Company |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Career== Flebotte produced and wrote for television programs including ''I'm Dying Up Here'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1166544895/|title='Dying' drawn from a comic's life: Jim Carrey brings authenticity to Showtime series|work=The Globe|first=Bill|last=Keveney|location=Worthington, Minnesota|date=June 2, 2017|access-date=July 8, 2025|page=19|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}}</ref> ''Good Advice'', ''Ellen'',<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Loving |first=Casey |date=July 9, 2025 |title=David Flebotte, Veteran TV Writer of 'Ellen,' 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Boardwalk Empire,' Dies at 65 |url=https://www.thewrap.com/dave-flebotte-dies-obit-desperate-housewives-writer/ |access-date=July 9, 2025 |website=TheWrap}}</ref> ''Just Before I Go'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Holden |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Holden |date=April 23, 2015 |title=Review: In Courteney Cox’s ‘Just Before I Go,’ a Settling of Accounts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/movies/review-in-courteney-coxs-just-before-i-go-a-settling-of-accounts.html |url-access=registration |access-date=July 9, 2025 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> {{Interlanguage link|Commando Nanny|fr|italic=yes}},<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=June 24, 2004 |title=‘Will’ power: Scribes grab reins of ‘Grace’ |url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/will-power-scribes-grab-reins-of-grace-1117906948/ |access-date=July 9, 2025 |website=Variety}}</ref> ''Taxi 0-22'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=November 23, 2011 |title=Hung writer-producer Brett C. Leonard to write Taxi-22 |url=https://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment-life/article498801.html |access-date=July 9, 2025 |website=The Gazette}}</ref> ''Masters of Sex'', ''8 Simple Rules'', ''Will & Grace'', ''The Sopranos'', ''Desperate Housewives'', ''Suddenly Susan'', ''Sherri'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/lifetime-picks-shepherd-comedy-84232/|title=Lifetime picks up Shepherd comedy|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 18, 2009|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref> ''Dirt'', ''Raising Hope'', ''State of Mind'', ''Chance'',<ref name="THR" /> ''George Lopez'', ''The 5 Mrs. Buchanans'', ''Boardwalk Empire'', ''The Geena Davis Show'' and ''The Bernie Mac Show''.<ref name="a">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/dave-flebotte-dies-writer-tulsa-king-desperate-housewives-1236452714/|title=Dave Flebotte Dies; Emmy-Nominated Writer Worked On ‘Tulsa King’ & ‘Desperate Housewives’|first=Lynette|last=Rice|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 8, 2025|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref> His final credit was the series ''Tulsa King'', producing and writing episodes in the show's first and second seasons.<ref name = THR/>
As a hockey fan and Boston Bruins supporter, Flebotte wrote a column for the first chapter of the 2009 book ''Puck Funnies: Hockey Humor, Hilarity & Hi-Jinx'', published by ''The Hockey News''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Proteau |first=Adam |date=July 15, 2025 |title=Five Boston Bruins Players The Late Dave Flebotte Loved: 'Captain Cash,' P.J. Stock And More |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/five-boston-bruins-players-dave-233605112.html |access-date=July 17, 2025 |website=The Hockey News |via=Yahoo Sports}}</ref>
In 1999, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the category Best Animated Program for his work on the television program ''The PJs''. His nomination was shared with Steve Tompkins, Larry Wilmore, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Krantz, Eddie Murphy, Will Vinton, Tom Turpin, Bill Freiberger, Mary Sandell, David Bleiman Ichioka, Michael Price, J. Michael Wendel, Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Les Firestein, Donald R. Beck and Mark Gustafson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.televisionacademy.com/awards/nominees-winners/1999/outstanding-short-format-animated-program|title=Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour Or Less) Nominees / Winners 1999|work=Television Academy|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref> He was nominated twice –in 2012 and 2013– for a WGA Award for his work on ''Boardwalk Empire''.<ref name="a" /><ref name=":0" />
==Personal life and death== Flebotte was married to Sandra Lindqvist from 2012 and had two children.<ref name = THR/>
Flebotte was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was a child, and was not expected to survive to adulthood.<ref name = THR/> In the late 1990s, he underwent a double lung transplant.<ref name = THR/> He died from cystic fibrosis at a hospital in Missoula, Montana, on July 8, 2025, at the age of 65.<ref name = THR/><ref name="a" />
==Filmography== Flebotte worked extensively in television as a writer and producer, contributing to both comedies and dramas across major networks and streaming platforms. He was best known for creating the Showtime series ''I'm Dying Up Here'' and producing shows such as ''Desperate Housewives'', ''Boardwalk Empire'', and ''Tulsa King''.<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web |title=David Flebotte – IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281366/ |access-date=July 9, 2025 |website=IMDb}}</ref>
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year(s) ! Title ! Role(s) ! Notes |- | 2014 || ''Just Before I Go'' || Writer || |- | 2014 || ''Backlash'' || Co-writer || Short film |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year(s) ! Title ! Role(s) ! Notes |- | 2022–2024 || ''Tulsa King'' || Co-executive producer, writer || 14 episodes (producer), 4 episodes (writer) |- | 2017–2018 || ''I'm Dying Up Here'' || Creator, executive producer, writer || 26 episodes total, wrote 6 episodes |- | 2017 || ''Chance'' || Writer || 1 episode |- | 2016 || ''Brothers in Atlanta'' || Executive producer || TV movie |- | 2014–2015 || ''Masters of Sex'' || Co-executive producer, writer || 24 episodes (producer), 4 episodes (writer) |- | 2012–2014 || ''Raising Hope'' || Consulting producer || 24 episodes |- | 2011–2013 || ''Boardwalk Empire'' || Writer || 3 episodes |- | 2008–2012 || ''Desperate Housewives'' || Co-executive producer, consulting producer, writer || 70 episodes (co-exec), 23 episodes (consulting), 7 episodes (writer) |- | 2009 || ''Sherri'' || Creator, executive producer, writer || 15 episodes |- | 2007–2008 || ''Dirt'' || Co-executive producer, writer || 7 episodes (producer), 3 episodes (writer) |- | 2007 || ''Men in Trees'' || Consulting producer || 5 episodes |- | 2007 || ''State of Mind'' || Writer || 1 episode |- | 2004–2005 || ''Will & Grace'' || Executive producer, writer || 14 episodes (producer), 1 episode (writer) |- | 2004 || ''{{Ill|Commando Nanny|fr}}'' || Executive producer || Unaired |- | 2003–2004 || ''8 Simple Rules'' || Consulting producer, writer || 37 episodes (producer), 3 episodes (writer) |- | 2002–2003 || ''The Bernie Mac Show'' || Co-executive producer, writer || 10 episodes (producer), 2 episodes (writer) |- | 2002 || ''The Sopranos'' || Teleplay writer || Episode: "Watching Too Much Television" |- | 2002 || ''George Lopez'' || Consulting producer || 3 episodes |- | 2000–2001 || ''The Geena Davis Show'' || Executive producer, writer || 10 episodes (producer), 1 episode (writer) |- | 1999–2000 || ''The PJs'' || Supervising/co-executive producer, writer || 3 episodes (writer), 3 episodes (producer) |- | 1999–2000 || ''Suddenly Susan'' || Consulting producer, writer || 13 episodes (producer), 1 episode (writer) |- | 1995–1997 || ''Ellen'' || Co-producer, executive story editor, writer || 10 episodes (producer), 1 episode (editor), 7 episodes (writer) |- | 1994–1995 || ''The 5 Mrs. Buchanans'' || Story editor, writer || 3 episodes (editor), 2 episodes (writer) |- | 1994 || ''Good Advice'' || Writer || 1 episode |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Association ! Category ! Work ! Result ! Reference |- | 1999 || Emmy Awards || Outstanding Animated Program || ''The PJs'' || {{nom}} || |- | 2012 || Writers Guild of America Awards || Television: Dramatic Series || ''Boardwalk Empire''|| {{nom}} || |- | 2013 || Writers Guild of America Awards || Television: Dramatic Series || ''Boardwalk Empire'' || {{nom}} || |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0281366}} * [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/david_flebotte/ Rotten Tomatoes profile]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Flebotte, David}} Category:1959 births Category:2025 deaths Category:American male television writers Category:American television writers Category:Television producers from Massachusetts Category:People from Hanson, Massachusetts Category:Deaths from cystic fibrosis Category:People with cystic fibrosis Category:Emerson College alumni Category:Lung transplant recipients