Product Code Database
Jeff Melvoin is an American television writer, producer, and educator. He has written dozens and produced hundreds of one-hour episodes on over a dozen television series. “TV Writer-Producer Jeff Melvoin to Receive WGAW's Morgan Cox Award for Guild Service"
Melvoin is founder and chair of the Writers Guild of America's Showrunner Training Program and the Writers Education Committee. He is a past board member of the Mystery Writers of America (Southern California Chapter) and the Writers Guild of America, West.
Melvoin attended Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in 1975 with a degree in American history and literature. He wrote his senior thesis on the development of the American detective in fiction. While in college, he also directed six theatrical productions, including two on the mainstage of Harvard's Loeb Theater. "Jeff Melvoin '75". ‘Harvarwood’, October 2007 by Kim Bendheim
In 1978, he was hired as a correspondent for TIME magazine. He worked in their New York, Boston and Los Angeles bureaus before leaving the magazine in late 1982. "LIKE IT OR NOT, NEW CHIEF REALLY SHOOK THINGS UP". Deadline, By Scott D. Pierce, Feb. 16 1996
Melvoin then began a four-year association with Columbia TriStar Television, developing original pilots. Three of his pilots were produced, but none were picked up to series. “An Interview with Jeff Melvoin, Executive Producer on ARMY WIVES" In 1991, Melvoin was hired as a writer-producer on the CBS comedy-drama Northern Exposure, produced by Universal Television. He worked on the series from episode 17 until the end four years later writing 18 episodes and rewriting a half-dozen others. During his time on the show, Melvoin received numerous awards and nominations, including an Emmy award for best dramatic series, two Emmy nominations for best writing in a dramatic series, two Golden Globe awards and a Television Critics Association award for best dramatic series.
In 1995, Melvoin became Executive Producer on the fourth season of the David E. Kelley drama series, Picket Fences, produced by 20th Century Fox Television for CBS. It marked Melvoin's first showrunner position. "'PICKET FENCES' IN DISREPAIR". New York Daily News, November 10, 1995 by David Bianculli Following Picket Fences, Melvoin signed an overall deal with Tristar Television and became a consultant on the light science fiction drama, Early Edition, for CBS. He took over the series as showrunner for seasons two through four, from 1997 to 2000. "Fall TV preview: Saturday's returning shows". Entertainment Weekly, September 11, 1998
In 2001, he was executive producer on the Showtime drama, Going to California, produced by Columbia TriStar Television, which lasted one season. GOING TO CALIFORNIA: LONG TRIP, BUT WORTH IT. New York Daily News, August 8, 2001 by Eric Mink
In 2003, he was executive producer on the ABC drama Line of Fire, produced by ABC Studios. The FBI drama ran for 13 episodes. "TELEVISION REVIEW 'Line's' parallel worlds". Los Angeles Times, December 2, 2003 by Carina Chocano In 2004, Melvoin signed an overall deal with ABC Studios and became executive producer on season four of Alias, the J. J. Abrams spy drama produced by ABC Studios for ABC. "Yet More of One Face in Season 4 of 'Alias'". New York Times, January 5, 2005 by Virginia Heffernan
Following that, Melvoin became executive producer on In Justice, a short-lived ABC series from The Good Wife creators Robert and Michelle King. "A Mission to Free the Innocent and Expose the Guilty". "New York Times", DEC. 30, 2005 by Alessandra Stanley
In 2007, Melvoin was hired as executive producer on Army Wives, produced by ABC Studios for the Lifetime Network. He ran the show in its first season, then left for other opportunities, returning to run the show for seasons three through seven, ending its run in 2013. In its day, Army Wives was the most successful one-hour drama in the history of the Lifetime network. “Military TV: Showrunner Jeff Melvoin - Deadline.com" After Army Wives, Melvoin has worked on his own development and a variety of other projects, including the Shane Black and Fred Dekker spaghetti western series, EDGE, developed for Amazon Studios in 2015–2016, but eventually shelved.
In December 2016, Melvoin was hired as the showrunner for ABC's Designated Survivor. "‘Designated Survivor’ Taps New Showrunner As Jon Harmon Feldman Exits". "'Deadline.com', DEC. 4, 2016 by Ross A. Lincoln He handled the second half of season 1 and stayed on as an executive producer for season 2. "‘Designated Survivor’: Keith Eisner Set As Showrunner, Pending Season 2 Renewal". "'Deadline.com', May 2, 2017 by Nellie Andreeva In 2019, Melvoin was hired as an executive producer for season three of BBC America's Killing Eve and received an
JEFF MELVOIN - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins | Television Academy.
Melvoin continues to chair the program, whose alumni include Lena Waithe, Tanya Saracho, Kenya Barris, Courtney Kemp Agboh, Matt Nix, Veena Sud, Gloria Calderon Kellett, and Aaron Korsh, among many others, who in the program's first seventeen years have gone on to create, co-create or executive-produce over 150 series. "Next Stop: Running the Show". "Emmy Magazine", October 15, 2015 by Libby Slate
In 2015, Melvoin was given the Morgan Cox Award, the WGA's highest recognition "to that member whose vital ideas, continuing efforts, and personal sacrifice best exemplify the ideal of service to the Guild." In announcing the award, WGA President Christopher Keyser said, "If this is a Golden Age of television, the program Jeff so lovingly shepherds deserves its fair share of credit. Thanks to him, as an art form and as a business, we are better at what we do."
Melvoin has taught at Harvard, USC School of Cinematic Arts, UCLA, and the Sundance Institute. Additionally, in 2004, Melvoin co-authored a WGA booklet, Writing for Episodic TV, which is still in print.
| Remington Steele | 1983–1986 | NBC |
| Hill Street Blues | 1986–1987 | NBC |
| Intrigue | 1988 | CBS |
| CBS Summer Playhouse: Outpost | 1989 | CBS |
| Northern Exposure | 1991–1995 | CBS |
| Picket Fences | 1995–1996 | CBS |
| Early Edition | 1996–1999 | CBS |
| Going to California | 2001 | Showtime |
| Mister Sterling | 2003 | NBC |
| Line of Fire | 2003–2005 | ABC |
| Alias | 2005 | ABC |
| In Justice | 2006 | ABC |
| Army Wives | 2007, 2008–2013 | Disney–ABC Domestic Television |
| Designated Survivor | 2016–18 | Disney–ABC Domestic Television/Netflix |
| Killing Eve | 2019–2020 | BBC America |
|
|
