{{short description|American television producer, director and writer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox person | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|08|05|mf=y}} | birth_place = Framingham, Massachusetts | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | years_active = 1990–current | spouse = | website = | occupation = Producer, director, writer, editor }}
'''David P. Levin''' (born August 5, 1958)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1418551/ |publisher=imdb.com |title=David P. Levin |access-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024144148/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1418551/ |archive-date=October 24, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref> is an American producer, director, writer and editor. In the early days of MTV, he produced Rockumentaries on Madonna and Michael Jackson, and later went on to help create and develop the "Uncensored" brand for MTV.<ref name=maria>{{cite web|url=http://marialokken.com/2009/11/the-secret-behind-getting-the-untold-story/|title=The Secret Behind Getting the Whole Story|date=November 6, 2009|last=Lokken | first=Maria | access-date=May 1, 2016 | publisher=marialokken.com}}</ref><ref>"MTV Uncensored", MTV July 31, 2001</ref> Later on he created, produced and directed TV Land Confidential for TV Land,<ref name=maria /><ref name=tvguide>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/tv-land-confidential/cast/194693|publisher=TV Guide|title=TV Land Confidential|access-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305213043/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/tv-land-confidential/cast/194693/ |url-status=live|archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/tv-land-confidential/cast/|publisher=TV.com|title=TV Land Confidential Cast |access-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625214410/http://www.tv.com/shows/tv-land-confidential/cast/ |url-status=dead|archive-date=June 25, 2017}}</ref> and also produced and directed ''When Pop Culture Saved America'',<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/955115/David-P-Levin/filmography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305080340/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/955115/David-P-Levin/filmography|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-03-05|department=Movies & TV Dept.|publisher=Baseline & All Movie Guide|date=2016|title=New York Times }}</ref><ref name=tvby>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/16/ae-and-bio-channel-present-four-commercial-free-documentary-specials-commemorating-the-10th-anniversary-of-911/100536/|publisher=TV by the Numbers|title=A&E and BIO Channel Present Four Commercial-Free Documentary Specials Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11|date=August 16, 2011|access-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610075106/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/ae-and-bio-channel-present-four-commercial-free-documentary-specials-commemorating-the-10th-anniversary-of-911/100536/ |url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2022}}</ref> Which ''Entertainment Weekly'' cited as one of the 10 specials to watch on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ew.com/article/2011/09/02/911-specials | title=9/11 Specials: 10 shows to watch | publisher=Entertainment Weekly | date=September 2, 2011 | first=Tanner | last=Stransky| access-date=May 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118120711/http://ew.com/article/2011/09/02/911-specials/ | url-status=live |archive-date=January 18, 2017}}</ref> He is the founder of BrainStorm Inc., a video production company with a focus on television projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brainstorm-inc.com/www.brainstorm-inc.com/Home.html |title=BrainStorm, Inc. |publisher=BrainStorm, Inc. |access-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207112748/http://brainstorm-inc.com/www.brainstorm-inc.com/Home.html |archive-date=February 7, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref>
==Early life== Levin was born in Framingham, Massachusetts. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, and graduated from Teaneck High School.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Reprint-1976-Yearbook-Teaneck-School/dp/B006YZCR3I|title=Teaneck HiWay, 1976 |date=May 1976 |publisher=Content provided by MemoryLane.com |asin=B006YZCR3I | access-date=February 18, 2017}}</ref>
Levin attended Rutgers University, where he created Knight Time Productions in 1979, the first student-run television production group at the university. Prior to the establishment of RU-TV in 1999, this group was responsible for all the student television on the New Brunswick Campus of Rutgers.
==Career== Upon graduation, Levin began as an editor, and later worked as a director/producer/writer for a variety of companies, including American Movie Classics, USA Network and MTV. While at MTV, he produced several episodes of the "Rockumentaries" series, including Madonna, Elton John and Michael Jackson.
Levin co-created the long-running, Emmy nominated series "MTV Uncensored" for the network. Later he went on to create "TV Land Confidential",<ref name=tvguide /> "The A-List", for Animal Planet,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/other/videos/the-a-list.htm|publisher=Animal Planet |title=The A List |access-date=February 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501070117/http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/other/videos/the-a-list/ |url-status=dead|archive-date=May 1, 2017}}</ref> and the pilot for the comedy series "Take Two" which starred Anson Williams, Don Most and Beth Littleford.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/07/happy-days-duo-reunite-recruit-others-for-new-seri.html|publisher=Paste Magazine|title=Happy Days Duo Reunites, Recruits for New Series, Take 2 |last=Webster |first=Rachel |date=July 15, 2008 |access-date=February 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019080935/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/07/happy-days-duo-reunite-recruit-others-for-new-seri.html |url-status=live|archive-date=October 19, 2016}}</ref>
In 2011, Levin wrote, directed and produced "When Pop Culture Saved America", a documentary commemorating the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The show dealt with the impact of pop culture on the country in the aftermath of the attacks, and how they helped to heal the United States. The documentary premiered on A&E's The Biography Channel without commercial interruption on the tenth anniversary of the attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/when-pop-culture-saved-america-featuring-kristin-chenoweth-and-idina-menzel-airs-on-biography-sept-11-12-com-182481 | publisher=Playbill | title="When Pop Culture Saved America," Featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Airs on Biography Sept. 11-12 |first=Andrew | last=Gans | date=September 11, 2011 | access-date=February 18, 2017 | archive-date=February 20, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220010708/http://www.playbill.com/article/when-pop-culture-saved-america-featuring-kristin-chenoweth-and-idina-menzel-airs-on-biography-sept-11-12-com-182481}}</ref><ref name=tvby />
Levin has also written several books: two children's story books featuring Superman as well as ''MTV Uncensored'', a coffee-table book released for the twentieth anniversary of MTV.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/mtvuncensored00hoye |url-access=registration |title=MTV Uncensored |via=Internet Archive | last1=Hoye | first1=Jacob |last2=Levin |first2=David P. |last3=Cohn |first3=Stuart |isbn=0743426827 |publisher=Pocket Books | year=2001}}</ref> Levin was also the writer of what is thought to be one of the rarest Superman comics ever published, titled "This Island Bradman" (artwork by Curt Swan), a comic book that was privately commissioned in 1988 by real estate tycoon Godfrey Bradman as a Bar Mitzvah gift for his son.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.recalledcomics.com/SupermanBradman.php|access-date=February 18, 2017 |publisher=Rare Comics|title=Superman #nn Bradman Private Commission | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208144227/http://www.recalledcomics.com/SupermanBradman.php |url-status=live| archive-date=February 8, 2017}}</ref> He also wrote one of the issues of DC Comics Bonus Book, for issue #24 of ''Justice League International'' in February 1989.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/issue/45895/ ''Justice League International'' #24] at the Grand Comics Database</ref>
Levin is also the host and executive producer of "POP GOES THE CULTURE TV", a YouTube channel.
Levin is co-creator of "Monsters Aren't Real???", a new animated comedy series along with children's author, Nancy E. Krulik, slated for release in 2026.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Levin, David P.}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Television producers from Massachusetts Category:People from Framingham, Massachusetts Category:Mass media people from Teaneck, New Jersey Category:Rutgers University alumni Category:Teaneck High School alumni Category:Television producers from New Jersey