# Lee Rich
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{{Short description|American film and television producer}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2012}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lee Rich
| image = Lee Rich, 1973.jpg
| caption = Rich in 1973
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|12|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [Cleveland, Ohio](/source/Cleveland%2C_Ohio), United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|05|24|1918|12|19}}
| death_place = [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California), United States
| education = [Ohio University](/source/Ohio_University)
| alma_mater =
| known_for = ''[The Waltons](/source/The_Waltons)'' and ''[Dallas](/source/Dallas_(TV_series))'' producer
| occupation = Film and television producer
| years_active =
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[Pippa Scott](/source/Pippa_Scott)|1964|1983|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Angela Rich||1991}}
}}
| children = 5
| website =
| awards = Emmy Award
}}
'''Lee Rich''' (December 19, 1918 – May 24, 2012) was an American film and television producer, who won the 1973 Outstanding Drama Series [Emmy](/source/25th_Primetime_Emmy_Awards) award for ''[The Waltons](/source/The_Waltons)'' as the producer. He is also known as the co-founder and former chairman of [Lorimar Television](/source/Lorimar_Television).[{{cite news|first=Nikki|last=Fink|title=R.I.P. Television Mogul Lee Rich|url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/r-i-p-lee-rich-278035/ |website=[Deadline Hollywood](/source/Deadline_Hollywood) |date=2012-05-25 |access-date=2012-06-17}}]
Among the five [Emmy](/source/Emmy) nominated programs Rich produced were the series ''[Dallas](/source/Dallas_(TV_series))'' and ''[Knots Landing](/source/Knots_Landing)''.
==Early life and education==
Rich was born in [Cleveland, Ohio](/source/Cleveland%2C_Ohio) on December 19, 1918. His parents were Morris Richtaller and Anna Neminsky, both Jewish. His mother was born in Tetiev, Ukraine. He earned a marketing degree from [Ohio University](/source/Ohio_University) in [Athens, Ohio](/source/Athens%2C_Ohio).[{{cite news|last1=Vitello|first1=Paul|title=Lee Rich Dies at 93; Helped Create Both J.R. and John-Boy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/arts/television/lee-rich-a-founder-of-lorimar-productions-dies.html|accessdate=September 11, 2015|work=New York Times|date=May 30, 2012}}][{{cite news|last1=McLellan|first1=Dennis|title=Lee Rich dies at 93; advertising executive became a top TV producer|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-lee-rich-20120526-story.html|accessdate=September 11, 2015|date=May 26, 2012}}]
==Career==
Rich began his career in advertising and ultimately became an industry executive.
He served in the Navy as a lieutenant in World War II, and then returned to advertising in New York, where he rose to senior vice president and a member of the board of [Benton & Bowles](/source/Benton_%26_Bowles).
As the ad agency middleman between product company sponsors and television producers, he was involved with ''[The Andy Griffith Show](/source/The_Andy_Griffith_Show)'', ''[Make Room for Daddy](/source/Make_Room_for_Daddy)'', ''[The Edge of Night](/source/The_Edge_of_Night)'', ''[Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.](/source/Gomer_Pyle%2C_U.S.M.C.)'', and ''[The Dick Van Dyke Show](/source/The_Dick_Van_Dyke_Show)''.
Rich left Benton & Bowles in 1965 to partner with the Mirisch Co. and form Mirisch-Rich Productions. There he produced ''[The Rat Patrol](/source/The_Rat_Patrol)''.
In 1969, he, [Merv Adelson](/source/Merv_Adelson), and [Irwin Molasky](/source/Irwin_Molasky) formed [Lorimar Productions](/source/Lorimar_Television). Its first production was ''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' (1971), a television film which led to Lorimar producing the series it inspired, ''[The Waltons](/source/The_Waltons)'', featuring the same characters. The series ran on CBS from 1972 to 1981. Rich also co-produced the short-lived 1977 CBS [espionage](/source/espionage) drama ''[Hunter](/source/Hunter_(U.S._1977_TV_series))''. Lorimar's biggest hit was the primetime soap ''[Dallas](/source/Dallas_(TV_series))'', which ran from 1978 to 1991. During the ''Dallas'' storyline ''[Who Shot J.R.?](/source/Who_Shot_J.R.%3F)'' (in which [Larry Hagman](/source/Larry_Hagman)’s character is fired upon in the 1979-80 season finale in March and the assailant is not revealed until the following November) only Rich, executive producer [Philip Capice](/source/Philip_Capice), and writer-director [Leonard Katzman](/source/Leonard_Katzman) knew which of three previously shot endings would be used.
After leaving Lorimar in 1986, Rich joined MGM/UA Communications. For two years he was the chairman and chief executive of [MGM](/source/MGM).[{{cite news| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lee-rich-founder-legendary-production-329728 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | title=Lee Rich, Co-Founder of Legendary Production Company Lorimar, Dies at 93}}] After leaving MGM, he started The Lee Rich Company (aka Lee Rich Productions) with a deal at [Warner Bros.](/source/Warner_Bros.) for film and television production.[{{Cite web |last=Voland |first=John |date=1988-09-06 |title=MOVIES - Sept. 6, 1988 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-06-ca-1574-story.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}]
==Personal life==
Rich married American actress [Pippa Scott](/source/Pippa_Scott) in 1964, having three children together before they divorced in 1983,[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118054663?refCatId=14 variety.com] though they maintained a friendship until his death.[ Later Rich had two other children with his second wife, Angela Rich.
==Death==
Rich died on May 24, 2012, at the age of 93 in [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California) from [lung cancer](/source/lung_cancer).][{{cite news| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/05/25/tv-mogul-lee-rich-dies-at-91-exec-co-founded-lorimar-headed-mgmua/ | work=Chicago Tribune | title=TV mogul Lee Rich dies at 91: Exec co-founded Lorimar, headed MGM/UA 859-803-3649| date=May 25, 2012}}]
==Filmography==
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
===Film===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 1971 || ''[The Sporting Club](/source/The_Sporting_Club_(film))'' || ||
|-
| 1972 || ''[The Man](/source/The_Man_(1972_film))'' || ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[The Choirboys](/source/The_Choirboys_(film))'' || ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?](/source/Who_Is_Killing_the_Great_Chefs_of_Europe%3F)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1990 || ''[Hard to Kill](/source/Hard_to_Kill)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1992 || ''[Innocent Blood](/source/Innocent_Blood_(film))'' || ||
|-
| ''[Passenger 57](/source/Passenger_57)'' || ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1995 || ''[Just Cause](/source/Just_Cause_(film))'' || ||
|-
| ''[The Amazing Panda Adventure](/source/The_Amazing_Panda_Adventure)'' || ||
|-
| 1996 || ''[Big Bully](/source/Big_Bully_(film))'' || ||
|-
| 1998 || ''[Desperate Measures](/source/Desperate_Measures_(film))'' || ||
|-
| 1999 || ''[Gloria](/source/Gloria_(1999_American_film))'' || ||
|-
| 2001 || ''[The Score](/source/The_Score_(2001_film))'' || || Final film as a producer
|}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
|rowspan=2| 1967 || ''[The Rat Patrol](/source/The_Rat_Patrol)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''Sheriff Who'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=4| 1971 || ''Aesop's Fables'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate](/source/Do_Not_Fold%2C_Spindle_or_Mutilate)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[The Good Life](/source/The_Good_Life_(1971_TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=2| 1972 || ''[The Crooked Hearts](/source/The_Crooked_Hearts)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Pursuit](/source/Pursuit_(1972_American_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=6| 1973 || ''[The Girls of Huntington House](/source/The_Girls_of_Huntington_House)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Dying Room Only](/source/Dying_Room_Only)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Don't Be Afraid of the Dark](/source/Don't_Be_Afraid_of_the_Dark_(1973_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[The Blue Knight](/source/The_Blue_Knight_(film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''A Dream for Christmas'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Pomroy's People'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=4| 1974 || ''Police Headquarters'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[The Stranger Within](/source/The_Stranger_Within_(1974_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Bad Ronald](/source/Bad_Ronald)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Apple's Way](/source/Apple's_Way)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1973−74 || ''[Doc Elliot](/source/Doc_Elliot)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=5| 1975 || ''The Runaway Barge'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[The Runaways](/source/The_Runaways_(1975_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Returning Home'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Eric'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Conspiracy of Terror'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=3| 1976 || ''Widow'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Helter Skelter](/source/Helter_Skelter_(1976_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''You're Just Like Your Father'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1975−76 || ''[The Blue Knight](/source/The_Blue_Knight_(TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=4| 1977 || ''[Green Eyes](/source/Green_Eyes_(1977_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Bravo Two'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Killer on Board'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Bunco'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=6| 1978 || ''A Question of Guilt'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''The Wilds of Ten Thousand Islands'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[The Young Pioneers](/source/The_Young_Pioneers_(miniseries))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[The Waverly Wonders](/source/The_Waverly_Wonders)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''Desperate Women'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Long Journey Back'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=8| 1979 || ''Some Kind of Miracle'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Mr. Horn](/source/Mr._Horn)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Studs Lonigan](/source/Studs_Lonigan)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''Married: The First Year'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''[Big Shamus, Little Shamus](/source/Big_Shamus%2C_Little_Shamus)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''Young Love, First Love'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Mary and Joseph: A Story of Faith'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''A Man Called Intrepid'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1978−79 || ''[Kaz](/source/Kaz_(TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=8| 1980 || ''Marriage Is Alive and Well'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Skag](/source/Skag)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Reward'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Willow B: Women in Prison'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Joshua's World'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''A Perfect Match'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Secrets of Midland Heights](/source/Secrets_of_Midland_Heights)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| 1971−80 || ''[The Waltons](/source/The_Waltons)'' || Co-executive producer
Executive producer ||
|-
| 1978−80 || ''[Dallas](/source/Dallas_(TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=3| 1981 || ''A Matter of Life and Death'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Our Family Business'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Killjoy'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1977−81 || ''[Eight Is Enough](/source/Eight_Is_Enough)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=7| 1982 || ''[King's Crossing](/source/King's_Crossing)'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''A Wedding on Walton's Mountain'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''This Is Kate Bennett...'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Two Guys from Muck'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''Two of a Kind'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1980−82 || ''[Flamingo Road](/source/Flamingo_Road_(TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
|rowspan=2| 1983 || ''Dusty'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''One Cooks, the Other Doesn't'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1990 || ''[The Face of Fear](/source/The_Face_of_Fear_(film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
|rowspan=3| 1993 || ''Killer Rules'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| ''[Against the Grain](/source/Against_the_Grain_(TV_series))'' || Executive producer ||
|-
| ''A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1994 || ''[Island City](/source/Island_City_(1994_film))'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1995 || ''A Walton Wedding'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1996 || ''[Dallas: J.R. Returns](/source/Dallas%3A_J.R._Returns)'' || Executive producer || Television film
|-
| 1997 || ''A Walton Easter'' || Executive producer || Television film
|}
;Production manager
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
|rowspan=2| 1966−67 || ''[The Rat Patrol](/source/The_Rat_Patrol)'' || Executive in charge of production ||
|-
| ''[Hey, Landlord](/source/Hey%2C_Landlord)'' || In charge of production ||
|-
| 1976 || ''[Sybil](/source/Sybil_(1976_film))'' || Production supervisor || Television film
|}
;Thanks
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 2012 || [64th Primetime Emmy Awards](/source/64th_Primetime_Emmy_Awards) || In memory of || Television special
|}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0723676}}
* {{EmmyTVLegends name|lee-rich}}
* [http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz0002p5z1 Image of Robert L. Jacks, Michael Learned, Richard Thomas and Lee Rich with their Emmys for "The Waltons," Los Angeles, California, 1973.] [Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, [Charles E. Young Research Library](/source/Charles_E._Young_Research_Library), [University of California, Los Angeles](/source/University_of_California%2C_Los_Angeles).
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rich, Lee}}
Category:1918 births
Category:2012 deaths
Category:American film studio executives
Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives
Category:United States Navy sailors
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lee Rich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Rich) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Rich?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.