Tony Converse
Encyclopedia
Tony Converse is a television and film producer who began his professional career in New York in 1957 upon graduation from Yale University (BA Drama).
While employed as a production assistant at CBS TV, Converse also worked as an actor, stage manager and director in the legitimate theater, interrupted by two years in the Army where he became the Program Director for the Armed Forces Radio Network in Europe. On returning to the United States, he was assistant to the Artistic Directors of the American Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, Connecticut and the Williamstown (Mass.) Theater Festival.
. He created both the Emmy Award nominated summer prime time and late night Cavett formats and was responsible for many notable shows, such as "The Lunts and Noel Coward," "The Woodstock Rock Festival," and one-man shows with Groucho Marx
and Jack Benny
, as well as many highly controversial evenings on political topics during that volatile time.
Appointed Vice President for Special Programs at CBS in 1974, he was responsible for the development and supervised the production of such films as Minstrel Man, Circle of Children, The Defection of Simas Kudirka, In This House of Brede, The Secret Life of Chapman, Goldenrod, The Deadliest Season and The Amazing Howard Hughes. He was also instrumental in the development of and supervised for the network such shows as Sills and Burnett at the Met, The Body Human, The Chuck Jones Animated Specials and The Carter Inaugural Gala.
), Betrayal, The Cracker Factory, The Dark Side of Love, Survival of Dana, Can You Hear the Laughter, Orphan Train (Christopher Award), The Legend of Walks Far Woman, The Killing of Randy Webster (Monte Carlo Film Festival Nominee), Broken Promise (Film Advisory Board Award), A Question of Honor, The Manions of America, A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (Film Advisory Board Award, Monte Carlo Film Festival Award), Packin' It In, Deadly Encounter, Sessions, and Aurora.
For several years he served as a Dramaturg at the National Playwright’s Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
in Waterford CT.
which ran 820 performances at the John Houseman Theater in New York and the musical The Thing About Men at the Promenade Theater which won the Outer Critics Circle Award
as Best Musical of 2003- 2004 season .
He served for 15 years as a Board Member of the O’Neill Theater Center and, from its inception, Symphony in the Glen; he is also a member of the Caucus for Writers, Producers and Directors and past Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
.
Early career
Having been President of the Yale Dramat ( undergraduate theater)>www.dramat.org< and Drama Critic for the Yale Daily News ( in a time when each week brought a new show heading for Broadway to New Haven ) was a big help in getting a job at CBS at a time when there were no TV schools and almost everyone involved in TV in New York came from a Theater background.While employed as a production assistant at CBS TV, Converse also worked as an actor, stage manager and director in the legitimate theater, interrupted by two years in the Army where he became the Program Director for the Armed Forces Radio Network in Europe. On returning to the United States, he was assistant to the Artistic Directors of the American Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, Connecticut and the Williamstown (Mass.) Theater Festival.
Secret Storm & Dick Cavett
In 1963 he returned to television as Producer of the daytime serial Secret Storm, producing well over 1000 episodes until 1969 when he left to produce The Dick Cavett ShowThe Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including:* ABC daytime ...
. He created both the Emmy Award nominated summer prime time and late night Cavett formats and was responsible for many notable shows, such as "The Lunts and Noel Coward," "The Woodstock Rock Festival," and one-man shows with Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
and Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, as well as many highly controversial evenings on political topics during that volatile time.
CBS Television
In 1971 Converse joined CBS Television as Program Executive and was responsible for the CBS Daytime 90's, a unit he created for the production of 90-minute tape dramas, developing over 60 original teleplays and executive producing 12. He received an Emmy nomination for this program.Appointed Vice President for Special Programs at CBS in 1974, he was responsible for the development and supervised the production of such films as Minstrel Man, Circle of Children, The Defection of Simas Kudirka, In This House of Brede, The Secret Life of Chapman, Goldenrod, The Deadliest Season and The Amazing Howard Hughes. He was also instrumental in the development of and supervised for the network such shows as Sills and Burnett at the Met, The Body Human, The Chuck Jones Animated Specials and The Carter Inaugural Gala.
EMI Television
In 1977 Converse joined Roger Gimbel's recently formed EMI Television Programs, Inc. as Vice President and Executive Producer. He has executive produced with Gimbel the TV films Forever, Deadman's Curve, Special Olympics, (Humanitas Award, Monte Carlo Film Festival Award, Christopher AwardChristopher Award
The Christopher Award is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, motion pictures and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit"...
), Betrayal, The Cracker Factory, The Dark Side of Love, Survival of Dana, Can You Hear the Laughter, Orphan Train (Christopher Award), The Legend of Walks Far Woman, The Killing of Randy Webster (Monte Carlo Film Festival Nominee), Broken Promise (Film Advisory Board Award), A Question of Honor, The Manions of America, A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (Film Advisory Board Award, Monte Carlo Film Festival Award), Packin' It In, Deadly Encounter, Sessions, and Aurora.
Symphony in the Glen
In 1994 he co-founded,with composer/conductor Arthur B. Rubinstein, Symphony in the Glen, a non-profit organization presenting free Chamber Symphony concerts in Los Angeles parks.For several years he served as a Dramaturg at the National Playwright’s Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
The Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut is a 501 not-for-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. The O'Neill is the recipient of the . The O'Neill is home to the National Theater Institute , and several major theater conferences including the...
in Waterford CT.
Legitimate Theater
In a return to his roots in the legitimate theater Converse, in 1998, co-produced Over the River and Through the WoodsOver the River and through the Woods
"Over the River and through the Woods" is a Thanksgiving song by Lydia Maria Child. Written originally as a poem, it appeared in her Flowers for Children, Volume 2, in 1844. The title of the poem is, "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day". It celebrates her childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House...
which ran 820 performances at the John Houseman Theater in New York and the musical The Thing About Men at the Promenade Theater which won the Outer Critics Circle Award
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
as Best Musical of 2003- 2004 season .
He served for 15 years as a Board Member of the O’Neill Theater Center and, from its inception, Symphony in the Glen; he is also a member of the Caucus for Writers, Producers and Directors and past Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946, just one month after network television was born. It is a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry...
.