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Production
David Susskind
Biography
David Howard Susskind (December 19, 1920 – February 22, 1987) was an American producer of TV, movies, and stage plays and also a TV talk show host. His talk shows were innovative in the genre and addressed timely, controversial topics beyond the scope of others of the day. His first job after the war was as a press agent for Warner Brothers. Next, he was a talent agent for Century Artists, ultimately ending up in the Music Corporation of America's newly minted television programming department, managing Dinah Shore, Jerry Lewis, and others. In New York, Susskind formed Talent Associates, representing creators of material rather than performers. In 1954, Susskind became a producer of the NBC legal drama Justice, based on case files of the Legal Aid Society of New York. His program Open End began in 1958 on New York City's commercial independent station WNTA-TV and was so titled because the program continued until Susskind or his guests were too tired to continue. In 1961, Open End was constrained to two hours and went into national syndication. The show was retitled The David Susskind Show for its telecast on Sunday night, October 2, 1966. In the 1960s it was the first nationally broadcast television talk show to feature people speaking out against American involvement in the Vietnam War. In the 1970s it was the first nationally broadcast television talk show to feature people speaking out for gay rights. The show continued until its New York outlet canceled it in 1986. During his close to three-decade run, Susskind covered many controversial topics of the day, such as race relations, transsexualism, and the Vietnam War. His interview with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, which aired in October 1960, during the height of the Cold War, generated national attention. It is one of the very few talk show telecasts from the era that was preserved and can be viewed today. In a now notorious interview with then 25-year-old Muhammad Ali during a recently-unearthed 1968 appearance on the British program The Eamonn Andrews Show, Susskind displayed an intense antipathy and vitriol towards the famous boxer, whom he excoriated with withering criticism for refusing to be conscripted into the U.S. military for the Vietnam War. Some commentators have described this as a racist attack. Susskind was also a noted producer, with scores of movies, plays, and TV programs to his credit. His legacy is that of a producer of intelligent material at a time when TV had left its golden years behind and had firmly planted its feet in programming which had wide appeal, whether or not it was worth watching.
Personal Info
Known For
Production
Birthday
December 19, 1920
Day of Death
February 22, 1987
Age at Death
66 years old
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Popularity Score
0.5
Filmography
David Susskind Archive: I Was a Hitman for the Mafia
Director
2020Movie
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Self (archive footage)
2013Movie
The David Susskind Show: Give 'em Hell Harry
Self
2012Movie
Ike
Executive Producer
1986Movie
J.F.K.: A One-Man Show
Executive Producer
1984Movie
Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess
Executive Producer
1983Movie
Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess
Producer
1983Movie
The Bunker
Producer
1981Movie
Casey Stengel
Executive Producer
1981Movie
Fort Apache, the Bronx
Executive Producer
1981Movie
Crisis at Central High
Executive Producer
1981Movie
Dear Liar
Executive Producer
1981Movie
Simon
Himself
1980Movie
Loving Couples
Executive Producer
1980Movie
The Plutonium Incident
Producer
1980Movie
Father Figure
Executive Producer
1980Movie
Mom, the Wolfman and Me
Executive Producer
1980Movie
Transplant
Executive Producer
1979Movie
Sex and the Single Parent
Executive Producer
1979Movie
The Family Man
Executive Producer
1979Movie
Walking Through the Fire
Executive Producer
1979Movie
Blind Ambition
Executive Producer
1979TV
Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Who'll Save Our Children?
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Breaking Up
Executive Producer
1978Movie
The World Beyond
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Home to Stay
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Tom and Joann
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye
Executive Producer
1977Movie
Tell Me My Name
Executive Producer
1977Movie
World of Darkness
Executive Producer
1977Movie
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years
Executive Producer
1977Movie
On Our Own
Executive Producer
1977TV
Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking
Producer
1976Movie
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson
Executive Producer
1976Movie
Alice
Producer
1976TV
Eleanor and Franklin
Executive Producer
1976TV
Fear on Trial
Self
1975Movie
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited)
1975TV
A Moon for the Misbegotten
Producer
1975Movie
The Country Girl
Producer
1974Movie
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Producer
1974Movie
Crown Matrimonial
Producer
1974Movie
The Glass Menagerie
Producer
1973Movie
Howard Hughes: the Watergate Connection
Director
1973Movie
Harvey
Producer
1972Movie
If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band
Producer
1972Movie
The Price
Producer
1971Movie
The Pursuit of Happiness
Producer
1971Movie
All the Way Home
Producer
1971Movie
The Carol Lawrence Show
Self
1970Movie
Lovers and Other Strangers
Producer
1970Movie
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968TV
Of Mice and Men
Executive Producer
1968Movie
Laura
Executive Producer
1968Movie
A Hatful of Rain
Producer
1968Movie
The Phil Donahue Show
Self
1967TV
Mark Twain Tonight!
Producer
1967Movie
The Diary of Anne Frank
Producer
1967Movie
Dial M for Murder
Producer
1967Movie
The Desperate Hours
Executive Producer
1967Movie
Johnny Belinda
Producer
1967Movie
N.Y.P.D.
Creator
1967TV
Death of a Salesman
Producer
1966Movie
The Human Voice
Producer
1966Movie
The Glass Menagerie
Producer
1966Movie
CBS Playhouse
Producer
1966TV
Eagle in a Cage
Producer
1965Movie
Mr. Broadway
Producer
1964TV
David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
himself
1963Movie
David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Director
1963Movie
The Power and the Glory
Producer
1963Movie
East Side/West Side
Producer
1963TV
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Self - Trailor Narrator (uncredited)
1962Movie
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962TV
Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine
Cameo
1962TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Producer
1962Movie
Hedda Gabler
Producer
1962Movie
At the Drop of a Hat
Producer
1962Movie
The Lost Apple
Producer
1962Movie
A Raisin in the Sun
On-screen Trailer Narrator (uncredited)
1961Movie
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961TV
A Raisin in the Sun
Producer
1961Movie
Mrs. Miniver
Producer
1960Movie
Ninotchka
Producer
1960Movie
The David Susskind Show
Self - Host
1959TV
The Moon and Sixpence
Producer
1959Movie
Medea
Producer
1959Movie
Back to Back
Producer
1959Movie
Miracle On 34th Street
Producer
1959Movie
Meet Me in St. Louis
Producer
1959Movie
Play of the Week
Producer
1959TV
Too Young to Go Steady
Producer
1959TV
Three Plays by Tennessee Williams
Executive Producer
1958Movie
The Winslow Boy
Producer
1958Movie
Edge of the City
Producer
1957Movie
DuPont Show of the Month
Producer
1957TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Producer
1951TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Executive Producer
1951TV
What's My Line?
Self
1950TV
Armstrong Circle Theatre
Producer
1950TV
David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All
—Movie
David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All
Director
—Movie
David Susskind Archive: Gay Rights Pro and Con
Director
—Movie