People said she was simply setting up her boyfriend, that she wanted him around for reassurance. ''Maybe at some point that part's going to start. he asks. He began talking to Ms. Tarses about taking over ABC. As an executive and producer, she was a champion for storytellers, having been raised by one of the all-timegreats, Burke said. Unlike Harbert, Tarses lacked management skills. The family moved to suburban Los Angeles, where her father became a successful sitcom writer (first on The Bob Newhart Show). Watch TV.'' A Disney+ series, The Mysterious Benedict Society, which Tarses worked on as an executive producer is expected to premiere later this year. Her age, along with her status as the first woman to have that prestigious job, resulted in an unusual amount of scrutiny, often negative. Tarses' rise at ABC coincided with the start of my career as a cub reporter, covering the network TV business in Los Angeles, and one of my first duties was to chronicle the tenure of the young . He is also the author of three books about television, including a biography of pioneer talk show host and producer David Susskind. Jamie Tarses, who broke the glass ceiling for female TV executives as the first woman to run a network entertainment division, passed away this morning from complications stemming from a Jamie Tarses Remembered by Industry Leaders as 'Truly Gifted' With Passion for TV. a meteoric rise that at one point made her the youngest person and only Robert Iger, who had also recommended Tarses, was supportive of the choice. Jamie Tarses' end, many in the business believe, was written in the beginning -- in how she got her job at ABC. [23][24][25], Tarses married DreamWorks SKG television executive Dan McDermott in 1993. Friends, which she had helped develop, was the envy of every network. Harbert, who had been at ABC nearly 20 years -- his entire professional life -- immediately called Iger in New York, who reassured him that he was not being fired, but would be moved up. She was 56. ''And that's her problem. What she didn't realize was how much she needed him. ''It colors everything,'' says one agent who insisted on anonymity because he knows Tarses well. Jamie Tarses, Executive in a Hollywood Rise-and-Fall Story, Dies at 56She broke barriers as a woman in the TV industry and turned out hit after hit, only to . The article, which pointedly discussed Ms. Tarsess hairstyle and feminine way of sitting, helped color the rest of Ms. Tarsess career. It is also true that women -- some women -- have succeeded in Hollywood. In the weeks that follow she will decide to stay at her job at least for a while, and ABC will issue statements maintaining that the new, arrangement is going to work just fine. ''Everyone is concerned with winning,'' says Gavin Polone, a manager who represents, among others, Larry David, a creator of ''Seinfeld.'' The rest of this nonsense I dont need., Since then, Tarses had been active as a producer, serving as an executive producer on the series Primeval, My Boys and Happy Endings.. He doesn't like the Hollywood angle (no TV show about TV writers has succeeded since ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' in the 60's), and he finds Richard Lewis's character unlikable. .'' She suffered a stroke late last year and had spent a long period in a coma. ''What would the premise be?'' Karey Burke, who ran ABC from 2018 to 2020 and is now president of 20th Television, a leading TV studio, said of Ms. Tarses in a statement: She shattered stereotypes and ideas about what a female executive could achieve, and paved the way for others, at a cost to herself.. Tarses resigned in 1999. Women are emotional, and Jamie is particularly emotional, one male agent, speaking anonymously, was quoted as saying. If it works, he'll be confident. She was 56. Jamie Tarses Dies at 56: Cause of Death. ''I don't want to sound silly -- this will be difficult. (Tartikoff was 31 when he took over at NBC.) Even so, Ms. Tarses was criticized at times as showing poor judgment. Ms. Tarsess departure from NBC was ugly. Letterman soon broke off contact with ABC and Ovitz and eventually fired Morton, telling friends that Morton, who had long wanted to head Letterman's production company, was not supporting Letterman's interests but his own. I could have envisioned it going on another day, in which case I would have blown my brains out. '', At the party after the announcement, in the American Festival Cafe in Rockefeller Center, Tarses is beaming. ''It's emasculating,'' she says at one point, choosing a strange word. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? She plays the girl.'' ''People thought: Hasn't this girl been through enough? A superstar TV executive, Tarses was instrumental in developing such iconic shows as NBC's Friends and Frasier and reached the pinnacle of the network . Tarses preferred the creative process of production over the jockeying necessary to get ahead in the network hierarchy. Jamie Tarses Dies: Trailblazing TV Executive & Producer Was 56 https://t.co . Alex Murdaugh Receives Life Sentence: What Happens Now? She joined NBC in 1987 in the current comedy programming division (shows already on the air), where she monitored scripts for shows such as Cheers and A Different World, starring Lisa Bonet. Some things are her fault. Jamie Tarses met her demise at the age of 56. You think of her as a girl, and it changes how you do business with her., Tarses soon after she was appointed president of ABC Entertainment in 1996.Credit:Getty. She spots Dean Valentine, the president of Walt Disney Television and Disney Television Animation. Laybourne's seeming unwillingness to publicly deny her interest in Tarses' job is suspicious, and Eisner, despite all the turmoil at the network, has never issued a statement of support for Tarses. He has become increasingly preoccupied with the complaints about Tarses. Morton was reportedly given a two-year, $2-million-a-year production deal, and those in the business were amazed. Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. The indiscretion, which was reported on by some newspapers, contributed to a narrative that had congealed around Ms. Tarses: She was too impetuous for such a big job. Tarses looks up from the paper and tugs at her hair. Tarses is conflicted about autonomy: she craves the power, but it brings out her insecurities. Jamie Tarses, who became the first woman to head a major network entertainment division during a tumultuous run in the 1990s at ABC, died Monday of complications from a cardiac event last fall, her family confirmed. [15], Tarses was the subject of what Bill Carter of The New York Times called an "unflattering profile" written by Lynn Hirschberg in The New York Times Magazine in July 1997, in which she "was portrayed as an embattled executive whose competence and professionalism was being questioned in Hollywood show business circles".[13][16][17]. ''This is a great day,'' she says. Legal experts weigh in, ChatGPT who? Jamie Tarses, the first-ever woman to oversee programming at a major broadcast network, died on Monday, the New York Times reports. But if we fail, I'm sure Iger will not get the blame.''. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Even the speed with which ABC lost confidence in her isn't all that surprising. Jamie was a trailblazer in the truest sense of the word, Karey Burke, current president of Disneys 20th Television and previous president of ABC Entertainment, told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement. A veteran television executive, Stuart Bloomberg, was installed above Tarses. After graduating from Williams College, she became an assistant casting executive on Saturday Night Live before joining Lorimar Television. They had not thought as much of her presentation of the schedule as she thought. All Rights Reserved. The Walt Disney Company had purchased ABC shortly before Tarses arrived, heightening Wall Street scrutiny and intensifying corporate politics. Jamie Tarses attends a 1998 screening of From The Earth To The Moon in Century City, California. ABC has settled on 30 pilots for the fall season, 17 half-hour comedies and 13 hourlong dramas. Sara James Tarses was born in Pittsburgh on March 16, 1964 to Jay and Rachel (Newdell) Tarses. The piece portrayed Ms. Tarses as a nervous girl who swung erratically between arrogance and insecurity. As Jeff Bader wanders into her office for the scheduling meeting, Tarses looks blank. Tarses had 18 months left on her NBC contract when she started talking to ABC early last year. Friends, which she had helped develop, was the envy of every network. The industry. Then, as part of a restructuring, yet another manager, Lloyd Braun, was placed over her in what was essentially a demotion. She asked why, and Iger told her, simply, that she needed the help. Every network longs for NBC's Thursday- night ''Friends''-''Seinfeld''-''E.R.'' (Neither Ohlmeyer nor Tarses will discuss the allegations for the record.) Jamie Tarses attends the Women In Film 2018 Crystal + Lucy Award at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.Credit:Getty, Karey Burke, who ran ABC from 2018 to 2020 and is now president of 20th Television, a leading TV studio, said of Tarses in a statement: She shattered stereotypes and ideas about what a female executive could achieve and paved the way for others, at a cost to herself.. A lot of it was pure sexism, said Betsy Thomas, a screenwriter and friend. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, How NBCs Must See TV risk takers of the 90s are still launching groundbreaking TV. The complaints were, immediate and loud: she didn't return phone calls; she didn't encourage her staff; she couldn't figure out how to integrate her sensibility. They are harder on her than they have ever been on me. ''I'm just kidding. ", Betsy Thomas, a friend and collaborator, also shared a statement, noting, "Jamie had such a true love for movies, television, theater, books and ideas that both transcended her work and absolutely inspired it. And still, if they succeed it's something of a losing battle: network viewer erosion is inevitable. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1964, according to Variety, Tarses later graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She left ABC with one popular sitcom, Dharma & Greg, and one comedy that was a hit with critics, Aaron Sorkins Sports Night. Harbert was kept in the dark. She learned the television business through osmosis -- her father had a complicated relationship with his bosses, most notably Brandon Tartikoff, then president of NBC entertainment, who adored Jay Tarses but challenged him. William Morris Endeavor, the agency that represented Tarses, paid tribute toher in a statement to USA TODAY. I gave Jamie the keys and I have no plans to ask for them back. Jamie Tarses Children. 'My Way.' I love television, I really do.. She might try magazines. ''It was lonelier than I thought,'' Tarses says afterward. Tarses came from a show-business family. Updated Around the same time, Warren Littlefield renewed his contract with NBC for five years, thereby blocking Tarses' path to that network's top programming rung. He swiftly promoted Tarses to the networks comedy development department, where she worked on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which turned Will Smith into a household name; the oddball Wings, set at a New England airport; and Blossom, centered on a teenage Mayim Bialik. Iger seems certain of Tarses, certain of the future. Bader, who is rather earnest, isn't certain if Tarses is fooling around or not and says nothing. ''My father hated executives,'' Tarses says one afternoon, piloting her Range Rover to a taping of ''Hiller and Diller,'' an ABC comedy pilot that looks particularly promising. Jamie Tarses Death. '', But for Tarses it's as good as over. She climbed the corporate ladder at NBC until 1996. Just two weeks before, the rumor was that Stuart Bloomberg was being brought from New York to supervise Tarses. She was brilliant, quick, curious, and read everything she could. He has been married to Rachel Newdell since 9 June 1963. He has left her on her own, which is what he did with Harbert. Discovery Company. Her death was confirmed by a family spokeswoman, who said the cause was "complications from a cardiac. The Cast of 'Hanging with Mr. Cooper:' Where Are They Now? (Her brother, Matt, is also a producer. ''It was a disaster.''. A veteran television executive, Stuart Bloomberg, was installed above Ms. Tarses. You may change your billing preferences at any time in the Customer Center or call She worries that she has earned few allies inside ABC, which, as her first season with the network reaches its end and she prepares her first fall schedule, is still mired in third place behind NBC and CBS -- mired and sinking. '' Bloomberg was angered by Morton's nerve. Ms. Tarses attended Williams College in Massachusetts, studying play structure and receiving a theater degree in 1985. Tarses says. Valentine, who is smart and is responsible for the biggest hit on ABC, ''Home Improvement,'' is said to have problems with Tarses, to think she is unfit for her job. She does not want to talk about the problems with Iger, or the problems Iger believes she was having inside the office and out. He had been influential in getting her the job, and now he was gone. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Iger, after all, has his own boss to placate, and Eisner is not happy with how the network is performing. When Tarses took the ABC job, she hated the network's old branding approach and solicited bids from new agencies, eventually choosing TBWA Chiat/Day. When she left ABC following another management shift in 1999, Tarses sounded relieved to be moving on, telling the Los Angeles Times regarding the constant speculation and rumors about behind-the-scenes friction, I just dont want to play anymore. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. And nothing will make the decision for you and nobody wants the responsibility, so there's a lot of stalling going on. Iger simply didn't have the time to coddle or protect Tarses. The work is a blast. ''Take this calendar and peruse it,'' Bader says. She knows that ABC badly needs a ratings boost -- last week the network nearly sank into fourth place, behind Fox, which has seven fewer hours of prime-time programming each week. She was a production assistant on Saturday Night Live in New York for a season before returning to Los Angeles in 1986 to become a casting director for Lorimar Productions. Last year, Eisner, who is very hard to please, beat Harbert up about his chosen shows. '', See the article in its original context from. Tarses helped pave the way for female creatives, as she was the first woman to run a network entertainment division. She shattered stereotypes and ideas about what a female executive could achieve, and paved the way for others, at a cost to herself. Morton was one of the first people to recommend her to Ovitz for the ABC job. The work is a blast, she told the Los Angeles Times after her departure from ABC in 1999. Michael Ovitz, the polarizing former power agent, had become Disneys president. But being a great developer does not necessarily mean you will succeed as a network entertainment-division president. ''Why was your TV set on CBS?'' '', This is in March. As Tarses enters, she is greeted by her comedy staff -- Carolyn Ginsburg and Suzanne Bukinik and her newest employee, Rob Dwek, who was just announced as Tarses' new No. '', The fact that Tarses is a woman, the first woman ever to be an entertainment chief at one of the big three networks, did not concern ABC, although, not surprisingly, her being a woman has turned out to be a complicating factor. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Several television pilots failed but she ultimately found a few modest hits, including My Boys, a comedy created by Ms. Thomas and centred on a female sportswriter, and Happy Endings, a sitcom that dusted off the Friends formula. $ + tax But she fizzles in epic fashion, brought down by corporate dysfunction, unvarnished sexism, self-sabotage, weaponised industry gossip and scalding news media scrutiny. Others stubbornly viewed her as a callous climber. But Bochco's letter to Iger is a rather typical Hollywood-style power play. In 1998, ABC hosted more than 100 television critics and entertainment journalists from across the United States at a promotional event in Pasadena, Calif. ABC stars were also invited, including a young Ryan Reynolds, then appearing on a sitcom called Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. As the evening wore on, reporters witnessed Ms. Tarses and Mr. Reynolds go outside and become amorous. While still hugely profitable, the big three networks can no longer be complacent and are scrambling for solutions. ''It used to be, you could have a hit show and that would turn around a network,'' explains Warren Littlefield, president for entertainment at NBC. Tarses returns to her seat below the monitor. As Warren Littlefield, her boss there, put it, ''She completely understood the process.''. [5], Tarses graduated from Williams College in 1985[6] with a degree in theater. 4 Jamie Tarses has passed away after a cardiac arrest Credit: GETTY IMAGES When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. ''I did know in making this decision,'' Iger says, ''that Jamie would react negatively.'' prodigy whose instincts for hip prime-time shows might revive the Walt Disney [21], Tarses was co-producer of My Boys, a comedy about a female sports reporter starring Jordana Spiro, on TBS cable television network from November 28, 2006, until September 14, 2010. Ms. Tarses in 1997 as president of ABC Entertainment. It's April 3, six weeks before the announcement of ABC's fall '97 schedule, and Tarses, wearing a black suit with a blue shirt, is engulfed by a black leather chair behind a very cluttered desk in her office, which looks out over the Century Plaza Hotel. She joined NBC in 1987 in the current comedy programming division (shows already on the air), where she monitored scripts for shows like Cheers and A Different World, starring Lisa Bonet. Her bosses, including Robert A. Iger, then chairman of the ABC Group, had been applying patches to the situation. At NBC, she had had an exacting sense of what an 18-to-49-year-old urbanite would watch. ''I'm going there now,'' Valentine says. Tarses, who was 32 when she took the job, had a tumultuous three-year run at ABC at a time when it was still being absorbed into the Walt Disney Co., which had acquired the network a year before she arrived. ''Bob'' is Robert A. Iger, the president of ABC Inc. and Tarses' boss, and he has faxed her about a man who swallowed a fish and died -- wouldn't this make a great premise for a mini-series? The newest ABC star-to-be, Jenna Elfman, from ''Dharma and Greg,'' wanders by and embraces Tarses.