{{Short description|American television producer (1922–2007)}} {{distinguish|Fred W. Friendly}} {{Infobox person | name = Ed Friendly | image = Ed Friendly.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Edwin Samson Friendly, Jr.<ref name="geni"/> | birth_date = April 8, 1922 | birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{dda|2007|6|17|1922|4|8}} | death_place = Rancho Santa Fe, California, U.S. | other_names = | years_active = 1949-2005 | spouse = Paula Zinnemann (2003 - 2007) (his death) <br> Natalie Brooks Coulson <ref name="geni">{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Natalie-Friendly/6000000024835116292|title=Natalie (Brooks) Coulson Friendly Obituary|work=geni.com|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> (1952 - 2002) (her death) (2 children) | known_for = Co-creating/creating and developing ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', and ''Backstairs at the White House'' | occupation = Television producer }}

'''Edwin Samson Friendly Jr.'''<ref name="geni"/> (April 8, 1922 &ndash; June 17, 2007) was an American television producer. He was responsible for creating the television programs ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', and ''Backstairs at the White House''.<ref name="latimes.com">[http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-friendly20jun20,1,5036304.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california ''Los Angeles Times'', "Ed Friendly, 85; helped bring 'Laugh-In' and 'Little House' to TV" June 20, 2007]</ref>

Born in New York City, Ed Friendly served with the United States Army in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.<ref>{{Cite news|title=E.S. Friendly to Join N.Y. W-T As Vice President|date=25 February 1950|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin}}</ref> After the war, he worked at the advertising agency of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn. He began his television career in 1949, working for ABC as director of sales before briefly moving to Barry & Enright Productions in 1953,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 16, 1953 |title=C.R. Abry Named ABC-TV National Sales Manager |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/53-OCR/BC-1953-02-16-OCR-Page-0073.pdf |access-date=May 18, 2026 |work=Broadcasting |pages=73}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 12, 1955 |title=Friendly Sells Interest |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/55-OCR/1955-09-12-BC-OCR-Page-0104.pdf |access-date=May 18, 2026 |work=Broadcasting |pages=104}}</ref> and then moving to CBS as a contract producer and then, in 1959, to NBC as vice president of special programs.<ref name="latimes.com"/>

Friendly moved to California in 1967 and formed his second production company George Schlatter-Ed Friendly Productions with George Schlatter, and then his third own production company, Ed Friendly Productions, Inc. after Schlatter and Friendly broke their partnership in 1972.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 27, 1967 |title=Fates & Fortunes |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/67-OCR/1967-03-27-BC-OCR-Page-0184.pdf |access-date=May 18, 2026 |work=Broadcasting |pages=184}}</ref> He received the Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1975 for ''Little House on the Prairie''<ref>{{Cite news|title=No great westerns?|date=23 February 1975|work=The Press Democrat}}</ref> and in 1978 for ''Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion'',<ref>{{Cite news|title=NBC western drama showered with honors|date=26 March 1978|work=Minneapolis Tribune}}</ref> an adaptation of the 1972 children's novel ''San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion'' by Marguerite Henry.<ref>{{Cite news|title='Misty,' the horse that belongs to every child|last=Daniels|first=Mary|date=9 October 1977|work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

==Thoroughbred horse racing==

Friendly was introduced to racing Thoroughbred horse ownership in 1970, when he bought a racehorse in partnership with his close friend Lorne Greene. He subsequently expanded his racing interests, partnering with his first wife, Natalie, in a large (around 70) stable of horses. Some of their successful horses include: * Vivid Angel – won 1997 Oak Leaf Stakes * Friendly Michelle – won 2004 Santa Paula Stakes * Gray Slewpy – multiple stakes winner including the 1992 Ancient Title Handicap

A founding member of the National Thoroughbred Association, Friendly established the Thoroughbred Owners of California in 1993.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032817/http://files.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=news&id=26089 TOC co-founder Friendly dies], by Matt Hegarty, from the Daily Racing Form; published June 21, 2007; archived at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association; retrieved November 3, 2013</ref> He also served as the president of California Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.<ref>[http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/39434/california-breederowner-ed-friendly-dies California Breeder/Owner Ed Friendly Dies], at BloodHorse.com; published June 22, 2007; retrieved November 3, 2013</ref>

==Personal life== Friendly married the former Natalie Brooks Coulson<ref name="geni"/> on January 31, 1952; the couple remained married for 50 years, until her death on May 9, 2002. With his wife Natalie, Friendly was well known on the Southern California Thoroughbred racing circuit. They had two children; their daughter, Brooke Friendly,<ref name="legacy.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=335575|title=LA Times Obituary: Natalie B. Friendly|publisher=Los Angeles Times (www.legacy.com)|date=May 19, 2002|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> is the director of the Ashland Center for Theatre Studies at Southern Oregon University, and their son Edwin S. Friendly III, who is known as "Trip", is a former Ticketmaster International executive who had been developing projects with his father.<ref name="latimes.com"/> After his first wife's passing, Friendly married the former Paula Zinnemann on November 27, 2003; they remained married until his death.

==Death== Friendly died in 2007 at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California<ref name="latimes.com"/> He was survived by his second wife, Paula, his children, and three granddaughters.<ref name="legacy.com"/>

==References== {{reflist|25em}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0295561}} * {{LCAuth|no97045852|Ed Friendly|1|}} *[http://littlehouseontheprairie.com/ed-friendlys-life-and-legacy/ Ed Friendly’s Life and Legacy] *[https://www.emmys.com/shows/rowan-and-martins-laugh Emmy Awards & Nominations: Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In] *[https://www.emmys.com/shows/backstairs-white-house Emmy Awards & Nominations: Backstairs at the White House] *[https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/western-heritage-award-winners/ National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: Past Western Heritage Award Winners]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Friendly, Ed}} Category:United States Army personnel of World War II Category:American racehorse owners and breeders Category:Television producers from New York City Category:1922 births Category:2007 deaths