Carter Covington
Encyclopedia
Carter Covington is an American
television show creator, writer
, story editor
and producer
. He is known for his screenwriting
on two television series which aired on the ABC Family
network: Greek
and 10 Things I Hate About You
.
. The son of Marie and Butch Covington, he graduated from R. J. Reynolds High School
in 1991. Covington attended the University of Virginia
, where he received his degree in 1995 after studying foreign affairs and Spanish. After college, Covington was undecided about a career path. He taught English in Mexico and then worked as an advertising executive before studying entertainment business at UCLA's Business School, where he graduated in 2001. This was followed by a stint as a dog-walker. It wasn't until he met a screenwriter for the TV show Smallville
that he said he found a career that interested him.
graduate Amy Rardin. A Delta Tau Delta
fraternity alumnus, Covington's own college experiences were an inspiration for his writing on Greek.
Covington is a self-professed fan of the original 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You
. He often collaborated with original film director Gil Junger
on various ABC Family projects, where he regularly quizzed Junger for information about the movie. These discussions with Junger, coupled with Covington's desire to create a "reimagined" TV version of the movie, led to the creation of a pilot
episode of 10 Things I Hate About You
, which Junger directed. On July 7, 2009, the series premiere brought in 1.60 million viewer, a record for a 30-minute comedy debut on the ABC Family network. The series was canceled after one twenty-episode season.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television show creator, writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, story editor
Story editor
Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called "supervising producer". A story editor is a member of the screenwriting staff who edits stories for screenplays....
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. He is known for his screenwriting
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
on two television series which aired on the ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
network: Greek
Greek (TV series)
Greek is an American comedy-drama television series, which follows students of the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University , located in Ohio, who participate in the school's Greek system...
and 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You (TV series)
10 Things I Hate About You is an American television situation comedy broadcast on ABC Family beginning in 2009. Developed by Carter Covington, the show is a half-hour, single camera series based on the 1999 film of the same name...
.
Early life
Covington grew up in Winston-Salem, North CarolinaWinston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. The son of Marie and Butch Covington, he graduated from R. J. Reynolds High School
Richard J. Reynolds High School
Richard J. Reynolds High School now the Richard J. Reynolds Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts is a high school in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Named for R. J. Reynolds, the founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the...
in 1991. Covington attended the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, where he received his degree in 1995 after studying foreign affairs and Spanish. After college, Covington was undecided about a career path. He taught English in Mexico and then worked as an advertising executive before studying entertainment business at UCLA's Business School, where he graduated in 2001. This was followed by a stint as a dog-walker. It wasn't until he met a screenwriter for the TV show Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
that he said he found a career that interested him.
Career
Covington has been involved in more than 17 episodes of Greek, some of which he co-wrote with fellow University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
graduate Amy Rardin. A Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta is a U.S.-based international secret letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, . It currently has around 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regional alumni groups. Its national community service...
fraternity alumnus, Covington's own college experiences were an inspiration for his writing on Greek.
Covington is a self-professed fan of the original 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate about You
10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film. It is directed by Gil Junger and stars Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, and Larry Miller...
. He often collaborated with original film director Gil Junger
Gil Junger
Gil Junger is an American director for Touchstone Pictures, most famous for 10 Things I Hate About You, his directorial film debut...
on various ABC Family projects, where he regularly quizzed Junger for information about the movie. These discussions with Junger, coupled with Covington's desire to create a "reimagined" TV version of the movie, led to the creation of a pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
episode of 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate About You (TV series)
10 Things I Hate About You is an American television situation comedy broadcast on ABC Family beginning in 2009. Developed by Carter Covington, the show is a half-hour, single camera series based on the 1999 film of the same name...
, which Junger directed. On July 7, 2009, the series premiere brought in 1.60 million viewer, a record for a 30-minute comedy debut on the ABC Family network. The series was canceled after one twenty-episode season.
Personal life
Covington is openly gay. His partner is Patrick Sean Smith, the creator of Greek. According to Smith, the couple planned to be married in Maui on October 25, 2008. They currently reside in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Television shows
- Just a Phase (2006) TV pilot, creator
- GreekGreek (TV series)Greek is an American comedy-drama television series, which follows students of the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University , located in Ohio, who participate in the school's Greek system...
(2007—2009, 2011) writer, producer, executive story editor - My Name Is EarlMy Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
(2008) writer, "Nature's Game Show" episode - 10 Things I Hate About You10 Things I Hate About You (TV series)10 Things I Hate About You is an American television situation comedy broadcast on ABC Family beginning in 2009. Developed by Carter Covington, the show is a half-hour, single camera series based on the 1999 film of the same name...
(2009—2010) creator, writer, executive producer