David Susskind

David Susskind

Known for: Production
Biography: 1920-12-19
Deathday: 1987-02-22 (66 years old)

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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.

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Filmography

all 99

Producer 80

Movies 76

TV Shows 23

self 12

Director 5

Writer 1

Director
David Susskind Archive: I Was a Hitman for the Mafia

David Susskind Archive: I Was a Hitman for the Mafia (2020)

Movie
Self
The Trials of Muhammad Ali

The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013)

Movie
Self - Host / Self - Moderator
The David Susskind Show: Give 'em Hell Harry

The David Susskind Show: Give 'em Hell Harry (2012)

Movie
Producer / Executive Producer
Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess

Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess (1983)

Movie
Executive Producer
Casey Stengel

Casey Stengel (1981)

Movie
Producer
The Bunker

The Bunker (1981)

Movie
Executive Producer
Fort Apache, the Bronx

Fort Apache, the Bronx (1981)

Movie
Executive Producer
Crisis at Central High

Crisis at Central High (1981)

Movie
Executive Producer
Father Figure

Father Figure (1980)

Movie
Executive Producer
Loving Couples

Loving Couples (1980)

Movie
Executive Producer
Mom, the Wolfman and Me

Mom, the Wolfman and Me (1980)

Movie
Producer
The Plutonium Incident

The Plutonium Incident (1980)

Movie
Himself
Simon

Simon (1980)

Movie
Executive Producer
The Family Man

The Family Man (1979)

Movie
Executive Producer
Sex and the Single Parent

Sex and the Single Parent (1979)

Movie
Executive Producer
Blind Ambition

Blind Ambition (1979)

TV
Executive Producer
Walking Through the Fire

Walking Through the Fire (1979)

Movie
Executive Producer
Transplant

Transplant (1979)

Movie
Executive Producer
Who'll Save Our Children?

Who'll Save Our Children? (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II

Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
Tom and Joann

Tom and Joann (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
Home to Stay

Home to Stay (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
The World Beyond

The World Beyond (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
Breaking Up

Breaking Up (1978)

Movie
Executive Producer
Tell Me My Name

Tell Me My Name (1977)

Movie
Producer
On Our Own

On Our Own (1977)

TV
Executive Producer
The World of Darkness

The World of Darkness (1977)

Movie
Executive Producer
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years

Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977)

Movie
Executive Producer
Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye

Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye (1977)

Movie
Producer
Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking

Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking (1976)

Movie
Producer
Alice

Alice (1976)

TV
7.17
Executive Producer
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson

Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976)

Movie
1
Producer
Caesar and Cleopatra

Caesar and Cleopatra (1976)

Movie
Executive Producer
Eleanor and Franklin

Eleanor and Franklin (1976)

TV
Self (uncredited)
Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live (1975)

TV
6.36
Producer
All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small (1975)

Movie
Producer
A Moon for the Misbegotten

A Moon for the Misbegotten (1975)

Movie
Producer
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

Movie
6
Producer
The Country Girl

The Country Girl (1974)

Movie
Producer
The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie (1973)

Movie
Producer
If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band

If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band (1972)

Movie
Producer
Harvey

Harvey (1972)

Movie
Producer
The Pursuit of Happiness

The Pursuit of Happiness (1971)

Movie
Producer
The Price

The Price (1971)

Movie
Producer
Lovers and Other Strangers

Lovers and Other Strangers (1970)

Movie
Self - Guest
The Dick Cavett Show

The Dick Cavett Show (1968)

TV
Producer
A Hatful of Rain

A Hatful of Rain (1968)

Movie
Executive Producer
Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men (1968)

Movie
Director
Laura

Laura (1968)

Movie
Executive Producer
The Desperate Hours

The Desperate Hours (1967)

Movie
Producer
The Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank (1967)

Movie
Producer
Dial M for Murder

Dial M for Murder (1967)

Movie
Self
The Phil Donahue Show

The Phil Donahue Show (1967)

TV
Producer
Johnny Belinda

Johnny Belinda (1967)

Movie
Writer
N.Y.P.D.

N.Y.P.D. (1967)

TV
Producer
The Crucible

The Crucible (1967)

Movie
Producer
Mark Twain Tonight!

Mark Twain Tonight! (1967)

Movie
Producer
The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie (1966)

Movie
Producer
CBS Playhouse

CBS Playhouse (1966)

TV
Producer
The Human Voice

The Human Voice (1966)

Movie
Producer
Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman (1966)

Movie
Producer
Ages of Man

Ages of Man (1966)

Movie
Producer
Eagle in a Cage

Eagle in a Cage (1965)

Movie
Producer
Mr. Broadway

Mr. Broadway (1964)

TV
Producer
All the Way Home

All the Way Home (1963)

Movie
Producer
East Side/West Side

East Side/West Side (1963)

TV
Producer
The Power and the Glory

The Power and the Glory (1963)

Movie
himself / Director
David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (1963)

Movie
Producer
Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler (1962)

Movie
Producer
Requiem for a Heavyweight

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962)

Movie
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

TV
6
Self
The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

TV
Cameo / Himself
Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine

Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine (1962)

TV
Self
The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

TV
Producer
A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Movie
Producer
The Citadel

The Citadel (1960)

Movie
Producer
Mrs. Miniver

Mrs. Miniver (1960)

Movie
Producer
Miracle On 34th Street

Miracle On 34th Street (1959)

Movie
Producer
I, Don Quixote

I, Don Quixote (1959)

Movie
Producer
Back to Back

Back to Back (1959)

Movie
Producer
The Moon and Sixpence

The Moon and Sixpence (1959)

Movie
Producer
Medea

Medea (1959)

Movie
Producer
Play of the Week

Play of the Week (1959)

TV
Producer
The Ransom of Red Chief

The Ransom of Red Chief (1959)

Movie
Producer
Too Young to Go Steady

Too Young to Go Steady (1959)

TV
Producer
Meet Me in St. Louis

Meet Me in St. Louis (1959)

Movie
Self - Host / Self - Moderator
The David Susskind Show

The David Susskind Show (1959)

TV
Producer
The Winslow Boy

The Winslow Boy (1958)

Movie
Producer
Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights (1958)

Movie
Executive Producer
Three Plays by Tennessee Williams

Three Plays by Tennessee Williams (1958)

Movie
Producer
DuPont Show of the Month

DuPont Show of the Month (1957)

TV
Producer
Edge of the City

Edge of the City (1957)

Movie
Executive Producer / Producer
Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)

TV
8.33
Producer
Armstrong Circle Theatre

Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950)

TV
Self - Panelist
What's My Line?

What's My Line? (1950)

TV
Producer
The Power and the Glory

The Power and the Glory

TV
Director
David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All

David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All

Movie
Director
David Susskind Archive: Gay Rights Pro and Con

David Susskind Archive: Gay Rights Pro and Con

Movie
Director
Howard Hughes: the Watergate Connection

Howard Hughes: the Watergate Connection

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.24
Based on 143 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1950
1962
1968
1963
2020
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Information

Known For
Production

Gender
Male

Birthday
1920-12-19

Deathday
1987-02-22 (66 years old)

Birth Place
New York City, United States of America

Relationships
Joyce Davidson (1966-01-01 - 1986-01-01)

Citizenships
United States of America

Awards
honorary citizen of Brussels


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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