{{Short description|American television producer|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox person | name = Thea Flaum | image = File:Thea Flaum.jpeg | birth_name = Thea Kharasch | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|9|17}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | alma_mater = Skidmore College | occupation = American television producer | known_for = Creator of ''Sneak Previews'' (1975-1996) | spouse = {{marriage|Joel Flaum|reason=divorced}}<br/>Robert A. Hill | children = 4 }} '''Thea Flaum''' (born '''Thea Kharasch'''; September 17, 1938) is an American television producer best known as the creator of ''Sneak Previews'',<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=siskelandeb|title=Siskel and Ebert|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Television|publisher=Museum of Broadcast Communications|accessdate= January 31, 2014|first=Joel|last=Steinberg|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204224136/http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=siskelandeb|archivedate=December 4, 2010}}</ref> the movie review show featuring Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2495119/|title=Thea Flaum|website=IMDb}}</ref> She is the president of the Hill Foundation for Families Living with Disabilities, a nonprofit organization founded by Flaum and her husband, Robert A. Hill.<ref name="New Owner">{{cite web|url=http://www.reelchicago.com/article/new-owner-thea-flaum-productions-employee-dan-lombardi-takes-over-july-1?page=1|title=New Owner for Thea Flaum Productions: employee Dan Lombardi takes over July 1|website=Reel Chicago|date=June 21, 2007}}</ref>
==Early life==
Flaum was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is the daughter of Sam<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-obituary-for-sam-khara/112946595/|title=Obituary for Sam - KHARASCH|website=Chicago Tribune|date=June 28, 1978|access-date=September 5, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-obituary-for-sam-kharasc/47581345/|title=Obituary for Sam Kharasch (Aged 65)|website=Chicago Tribune|date=June 28, 1978|access-date=September 5, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and Freda Kharasch,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-obituary-for-freda-khara/47581837/|title=Obituary for Freda KHARASCH|website=Chicago Tribune|date=November 24, 1995|access-date=September 5, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and grew up in Chicago. She attended Skidmore College, where she was editor-in-chief of ''The Skidmore News''<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://digitalcoll.skidmore.edu/record/761?v=uv#?xywh=-574,1450,4589,2662 |title="Skidmore News," January 14, 1960 |date=1960 |publisher=Saratoga Springs, NY : [Students of Skidmore College]}}</ref> and graduated in 1960 with a bachelor's degree in English literature.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.skidmore.edu/scope/summer2005/connections/citations.htm|title=Distinguished Achievement Award|website=Skidsmore Scope|date=Summer 2005}}</ref>
==Career==
===Television career===
In 1975, Flaum created a television show called ''Opening Soon at a Theater Near You'' — which later became well known as ''Sneak Previews'' and ''Sneak Previews Goes Video''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20088480,00.html|title=Tough! Tender! Gritty! Evocative! Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert Live to Dissect Films—and Each Other|magazine=People|date=August 20, 1984|first=Fred|last=Bernstein|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826063646/http://people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20088480,00.html|archivedate=August 26, 2010}}</ref>
A few years later, Flaum was named Executive Producer for National (PBS) cultural programs for WTTW in Chicago.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/10/15/honoring-tv-pioneers/|title=Honoring TV Pioneers|work=Chicago Tribune|date=October 15, 1999|first=Monica|last=Eng|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410123647/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-10-15/entertainment/9910200026_1_gene-and-roger-thea-flaum-roger-ebert|archive-date=April 10, 2013}}</ref> She created the first national parenting series, “Look at Me,” hosted by Phil Donahue.<ref name="Focus Achievement">{{cite web|url=http://www.reelchicago.com/article/thea-flaum-most-prolific-tv-producers-honored-wif-focus-achievement-award|title=Thea Flaum the most prolific of TV producers honored by WIF Focus Achievement Award|website=Reel Chicago|date=October 2, 2006}}</ref> She was responsible for the ''Soundstage'' music series and for co-productions with MTV and HBO.<ref name="Focus Achievement"/>
In 1984, Flaum formed an independent production company based in Chicago.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/company/co0196111/ Thea Flaum Productions], [https://www.imdb.com/company/co0196111/ IMDb]</ref> The company focused on family programming—creating, developing and producing dramas, documentaries, specials, series and pilots, for network, cable, syndication and public television.
Productions include: ''At the Auction'',<ref>[https://archive.today/20120722132008/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/780660/Thea-Flaum Thea Flaum], [https://www.nytimes.com/''New York Times'']</ref>'' The Appraisal Fair'' and ''CityScapes'' for the Home and Garden Television Network (HGTV,) ''From Junky to Funky'' for DIY and ''De-Classified'', for Tribune Broadcasting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reelchicago.com/article/thea-flaum-developing-26-episode-offbeat-home-series-diy-network?page=2|title=Thea Flaum developing a 26-episode, offbeat home series for DIY network|website=Reel Chicago|date=January 10, 2005}}</ref> Also ''Love Hurts'',<ref>[http://tv.nytimes.com/show/53912/Love-Hurts/overview Love Hurts - TV Special - Cast & Credits], [https://www.nytimes.com ''New York Times'']</ref> a drama for ABC's AfterSchool Specials series, ''Christmas Every Day''<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051215/combined Christmas Every Day (1987) (TV)], [https://www.imdb.com/ IMDb]</ref> and ''The Canterville Ghost'',<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305134929/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/934346%7C0/Thea-Flaum/ Overview for Thea Flaum], [https://www.tcm.com Turner Classic Movies]</ref> two animated children's specials for CBS and ''Where’s Daddy?'' for NBC. PBS shows include a record-setting series of seven Les Brown specials;<ref>[http://tv.nytimes.com/show/51529/It-s-Possible-With-Les-Brown/details It's Possible... With Les Brown], [https://www.nytimes.com ''New York Times - Television'']</ref> Ruth Page's ''Die Fledermaus''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/17/arts/fledermaus-in-ballet.html|title='FLEDERMAUS' IN BALLET|work=The New York Times|date=December 17, 1986|first=John J.|last=O'Connor}}</ref> ballet, and ''Ruth Page: Once Upon A Dancer'', a biographical portrait of the American dance pioneer and choreographer.<ref name="New Owner"/>
She also served as a national vice-president of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.<ref>[http://www.chicagoemmyonline.org/images/stories/thea_flaum.pdf Thea Flaum - Chicago Emmy Bio], [http://www.chicagoemmyonline.org/ Chicago/Midwest National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]</ref>
===Hill Foundation for Families Living with Disabilities=== Flaum is president of the Hill Foundation for Families Living with Disabilities, which was established in 2007 by Flaum and her husband, Robert A. Hill.
The foundation has created [https://www.facingdisability.com FacingDisability.com], a web resource specifically created to connect families who suddenly have to deal with a spinal cord injury with people like them.<ref>[http://lifecenter.ric.org/index.php?tray=content&tid=top8&cid=6188 Life Center: Facing Disability], Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, September 2012</ref>
===Community service=== Flaum currently serves as a member of the Boards of Trustees of Access Living,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessliving.org/index.php?tray=content&tid=top912&cid=2al82|title=Access Living Board of Directors|website=Access Living|accessdate=July 20, 2022}}</ref> the Chicago Television Academy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoemmyonline.org/contact-us-chicago/board-of-directors|title=Chicago/Midwest Academy of Television Arts and Sciences - Board of Directors|accessdate=July 20, 2022}}</ref> the Ruth Page Foundation, the Fund for Innovative Television and the Governing Board of the Chicago Symphony.
==Personal life== Flaum was married to United States circuit judge Joel Flaum, whom she later divorced.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/05/joel-flaum-longtime-federal-judge-in-chicago-dies-at-88/ |first1=Bob |last1=Goldsborough |title=Joel Flaum, longtime federal judge in Chicago, dies at 88 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=December 5, 2024 |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 13, 2024}}</ref> Flaum is currently married to Chicago businessman, Robert A. Hill, the founder and chairman of Floor Covering Associates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcainc.com/history.aspx|title=About Robert A. Hill|website=Floor Covering Associates|accessdate=July 20, 2022}}</ref> They have four children, Jonathan and Alison Flaum and Vicki and Miranda Hill.
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1988 || ''Ruth Page: Once Upon A Dancer'' || Herself || |- | 1989 || ''The Siskel & Ebert 500th Anniversary Special'' || Sneak Previews Producer || |- | 1999; 2013 || ''Chicago Tonight'' || Herself || 2 episodes |- | 1999 || ''At the Movies'' || Herself || Episode: "Remembering Gene Siskel" |- | 2014 || ''Life Itself'' || Herself || |}
==Awards==
Flaum has won nine Emmy Awards, 10 international film awards, the American Bar Association's “Silver Gavel” award, the “Best in Media” award from the National Council for Children's Rights, a Cine “Golden Eagle,”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reelchicago.com/article/tv-show-producer-thea-flaum-and-multi-talentedbrbonnie-hunt-receive-wifc-focus-awards|title=TV Show Producer Thea Flaum and Multi-Talented Bonnie Hunt Receive WIFC Focus Awards|website=Reel Chicago|date=August 13, 2006}}</ref> and a “Golden Apple.”<ref name="Focus Achievement"/> In 1993, she was named Chicago's “Best Producer” by “Screen” Magazine. In 1996, she received the Governor's Award from the Chicago Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 2001, she received their Silver Circle Award for her “significant contributions to broadcasting”. She was given the Focus Achievement Award from Women in Film Chicago in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.studiodaily.com/studiomonthly/tools/casestudies/www.studiodaily.com/main/news/headlines/Bonnie-Hunt-and-Thea-Flaum-Honored-by-Women-in-FilmChicago_7189.html|title=Bonnie Hunt and Thea Flaum Honored by Women in Film/Chicago|website=Studio Daily|date=October 2, 2006}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|2495119}}
{{Authority control}} {{SiskelandEbert}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flaum, Thea}} Category:American television producers Category:American women television producers Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women Category:Skidmore College alumni