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{{short description|American director, writer and actor}}
{{Other uses|Hugh Wilson (disambiguation){{!}}Hugh Wilson}}
{{more footnotes|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
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| education = [[University of Florida]]
| occupation = {{csv|Writer|director}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Charters Smith|1979|2018|reason=}}
| children = 5
}}
'''Hugh Hamilton Wilson Jr.''' (August 21, 1943 &ndash; January 14, 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/latimes/187875515|title=Hugh Wilson 1943 - 2018 - Obituary|website=www.legacy.com|access-date=Sep 2, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/hugh-wilson-comic-director-of-police-academy-and-tvs-wkrp-dies-at-74/2018/01/17/cb338e92-fbd2-11e7-8f66-2df0b94bb98a_story.html| title = Hugh Wilson, comic director of 'Police Academy' and TV's 'WKRP,' dies at 74 - The Washington Post| newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>) was an American film director, writer and television showrunner. He is best known aswas the creator of the TV series ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]'' and ''[[Frank's Place]]'', and aswas the director of the film comedies ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]'' and ''[[The First Wives Club]]''.
 
==Background==
Line 23 ⟶ 22:
 
==Career==
In 1966, he entered the advertising business in Atlanta at the Burton-Campbell Agency. He was a copywriter before becoming creative director in 1970 and president in 1973. [[Tom Patchett]] and [[Jay Tarses]], producers of the ''[[Bob Newhart Show]]'', were instrumental in getting Wilson a position with [[MTM Enterprises]] in 1975. They, along with [[Grant Tinker]], gave him his first writing assignment for the ''Bob Newhart Show'' in early 1976 and in 1977 made him a co-producer of the ''Tony Randall Show''. In 1978, Wilson created ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]'' (1978–1982) for CBS. Two of his ''WKRP'' scripts won [[Humanitas Prize]]s and the show was nominated twice for the Emmy in the Best Comedy category. The character of [[Bailey Quarters]] on ''WKRP'' was based on Wilson's wife.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-esBmJWj3sC&q=Bailey+wife |title=America's Favorite Radio Station: WKRP in Cincinnati|first=Michael B.|last=Kassel|date=June 15, 1993 |publisher=Popular Press |isbn=9780879725846|access-date=Sep 2, 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref>
In 1966, he entered the advertising business in Atlanta at the Burton-Campbell Agency. He was a copywriter before becoming creative director in 1970 and president in 1973.
[[Tom Patchett]] and [[Jay Tarses]], producers of the ''[[Bob Newhart Show]]'', were instrumental in getting Wilson a position with [[MTM Enterprises]] in 1975. They, along with [[Grant Tinker]], gave him his first writing assignment for the ''Bob Newhart Show'' in early 1976 and in 1977 made him a co-producer of the ''Tony Randall Show''. In 1978, Wilson created ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978-1982) for CBS. Two of his WKRP scripts won [[Humanitas Prize]]s and the show was nominated twice for the Emmy in the Best Comedy category. The character of [[Bailey Quarters]] on ''WKRP'' was based on Wilson's wife.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x-esBmJWj3sC&q=Bailey+wife|title=America's Favorite Radio Station: WKRP in Cincinnati|first=Michael B.|last=Kassel|date=Jun 15, 1993|publisher=Popular Press|isbn=9780879725846|access-date=Sep 2, 2020|via=Google Books}}</ref>
Wilson attempted to break into movies by re-writing a low-budget comedy on the condition that he could direct it. The result was the first ''Police Academy'' for the Ladd Company (Warners) and producer Paul Maslansky. It was a surprise hit of 1984.
In 1985, Wilson shot the singing cowboy comedy ''[[Rustlers' Rhapsody]]'', starring [[Tom Berenger]] and [[Sela Ward]]. The movie was filmed in Spain.
"I grew up watching Roy and Gene and Hopalong Cassidy," Wilson said in the production notes. "That was my idea of a movie." The movie failed at the box office but has gained a strong cult following over the years. The same year, he created the short-lived television series ''[[Easy Street (TV series)|Easy Street]]'' starring [[Loni Anderson]].
In 1988, Wilson returned to CBS to create and co-produce with [[Tim Reid]] the highly regarded but short lived (22 episodes) ''[[Frank's Place]]''. Along with ''[[The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd]]'' (created by Jay Tarses) the two shows were the first to be done in the style that has come to be known as "dramedy."
Wilson received three Emmy nominations for ''Frank's Place'' and won the Emmy for Best Writing.
Wilson also created the CBS show ''[[The Famous Teddy Z]]'' (1989) and directed the movies ''[[Guarding Tess]]'' (1994) and ''[[Blast from the Past (film)|Blast from the Past]]'' (1999). In 2001, Wilson and John Grisham teamed up to make ''[[Mickey (2004 film)|Mickey]]'', an independent movie about little league baseball.
 
Wilson attempted to break into movies by re-writing a low-budget comedy on the condition that he could direct it. The result was the first ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]'' for the Ladd Company (Warners) and producer Paul Maslansky. It was a surprise hit of 1984. In 1985, Wilson shot the singing cowboy comedy ''[[Rustlers' Rhapsody]]'', starring [[Tom Berenger]] and [[Sela Ward]]. The movie was filmed in Spain. "I grew up watching Roy and Gene and Hopalong Cassidy," Wilson said in the production notes. "That was my idea of a movie." The movie failed at the box office but has gained a strong cult following over the years. The same year, he created the short-lived television series ''[[Easy Street (TV series)|Easy Street]]'' starring [[Loni Anderson]].
==Personal life==
Wilson married Charters Smith in 1979, with whom he had five children. Daughter Caroline Charters Wilson is an actress and singer. Wilson moved to Virginia in 1992 and sometimes taught screenwriting at the University of Virginia. He was a [[Roman Catholic]].
 
In 1988, Wilson returned to CBS to create and co-produce with [[Tim Reid]] the highly regarded but short-lived (22 episodes) ''[[Frank's Place]]''. Along with ''[[The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd]]'' (created by Jay Tarses) the two shows were the first to be done in the style that has come to be known as "dramedy." Wilson received three Emmy nominations for ''Frank's Place'' and won the Emmy for Best Writing. Wilson also created the CBS show ''[[The Famous Teddy Z]]'' (1989) and directed the movies ''[[Guarding Tess]]'' (1994) and ''[[Blast from the Past (film)|Blast from the Past]]'' (1999).
Wilson died on January 14, 2018, in [[Charlottesville, Virginia]], at the age of 74 of lung cancer and emphysema.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/01/16/hugh-wilson-dead-wkrp-in-cincinnati-creator-dies/|title=Hugh Wilson Dead: 'WKRP in Cincinnati' creator dies at 74|publisher=EW|date=January 16, 2018|access-date=January 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/obituaries-people-news/hugh-wilson-dead-dies-police-academy-wkrp-1202665878/amp/
|publisher=Variety |date = January 16, 2018 |access-date = January 16, 2018 |title = 'WKRP in Cincinnati' creator Hugh Wilson dies at 74}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42717903|title=Police Academy director dies aged 74|date=1 October 2018|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref>
 
His biggest film hit after ''Police Academy'' came in 1996 with ''[[The First Wives Club]]''. The film became a surprise box-office success following its North American release, eventually grossing $181,490,000 worldwide, mostly from its domestic run, despite receiving mixed reviews, and developed a cult following particularly among middle-aged women. For its stars, including [[Bette Midler]], [[Goldie Hawn]] and [[Diane Keaton]], the actresses' highest-grossing project of the decade helped revitalize their careers in film and television.
==Filmography==
 
In 2003, Wilson and John Grisham teamed up to make ''[[Mickey (2004 film)|Mickey]]'', an independent movie about little league baseball.
=== Films ===
 
==Personal life and death==
==== Filmmaking credits ====
Wilson married Charters Smith in 1979, with whom he had five children. Daughter Caroline Charters Wilson is an actress and singer. Wilson moved to Virginia in 1992 and sometimes taught screenwriting at the University of Virginia. Wilson was a [[Roman Catholic]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
!Year
Wilson died on January 14, 2018, in [[Charlottesville, Virginia]], at the age of 74 of lung cancer and emphysema.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/01/16/hugh-wilson-dead-wkrp-in-cincinnati-creator-dies/|title=Hugh Wilson Dead: 'WKRP in Cincinnati' creator dies at 74|publisher=EW|date=January 16, 2018|access-date=January 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/obituaries-people-news/hugh-wilson-dead-dies-police-academy-wkrp-1202665878/amp/
!Title
|publisher=Variety |date = January 16, 2018 |access-date = January 16, 2018 |title = 'WKRP in Cincinnati' creator Hugh Wilson dies at 74}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-42717903|title=Police Academy director dies aged 74|work=BBC News |date=1 October 2018}}</ref>
!Director
 
!Writer
==Filmography==
!Producer
=== Film ===
!Notes
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
! Notes
|-
| 1972
|''The Bagel Report''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|Also editor
|[[List of directorial debuts|Directorial debut]]; also editor
|-
| 1983
|''[[Stroker Ace]]''
|
Line 65 ⟶ 63:
|
|-
| 1984
|''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 72 ⟶ 70:
|
|-
| 1985
|''[[Rustlers' Rhapsody]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 79 ⟶ 77:
|
|-
| 1987
|''[[Burglar (film)|Burglar]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 86 ⟶ 84:
|
|-
| 1994
|''[[Guarding Tess]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 93 ⟶ 91:
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1996
|''[[Down Periscope]]''
|
Line 100 ⟶ 98:
|
|-
|1996
|''[[The First Wives Club]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 107 ⟶ 104:
|
|-
| 1998
|''[[Southie (film)|Southie]]''
|
Line 114 ⟶ 111:
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1999
|''[[Blast from the Past (film)|Blast from the Past]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 121 ⟶ 118:
|
|-
|1999
|''[[Dudley Do-Right (film)|Dudley Do-Right]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 128 ⟶ 124:
|
|-
| 2004
|''[[Mickey (2004 film)|Mickey]]''
|{{yes}}
Line 135 ⟶ 131:
|
|-
| 2012
|''Keepers of the Flame''
|
Line 143 ⟶ 139:
|}
 
==== '''Acting credit ====roles'''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
|-
! Year
|1984
! Title
! Role
|-
| 1984
|''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]''
|Angry Driver
|-
| 1985
|''[[Rustlers' Rhapsody]]''
|Complaining John
|-
| 1987
|''[[Burglar (film)|Burglar]]''
|Customer at Mayday
|-
| 1994
|''[[Guarding Tess]]''
|President (voice)
|-
| 1996
|''[[The First Wives Club]]''
|Commercial Director
|-
|rowspan=2| 1999
|''[[Blast from the Past (film)|Blast from the Past]]''
|Levy
|-
|1999
|''[[One More Kiss (film)|One More Kiss]]''
|Frank's false teeth
|-
| 2004
|''[[Mickey (2004 film)|Mickey]]''
|Munson
|}
 
====Frequent castTelevision members====
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:95%"
|-style="vertical-align:bottom;"
! Actor
! ''[[Police Academy (film)|Police Academy]]''
! ''[[Rustlers' Rhapsody]]''
! ''[[Burglar (film)|Burglar]]''
! ''[[Guarding Tess]]''
! ''[[The First Wives Club]]''
! ''[[Blast from the Past (film)|Blast from the Past]]''
! ''[[Dudley Do-Right (film)|Dudley Do-Right]]''
|-
! Year
![[G. W. Bailey]]
! Title
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
! Director
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
! Writer
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
! Executive<br>producer
|
! Creator
|
! Notes
|
|
|-
| 1976
![[David Graf]]
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|
|
|-
![[Donovan Scott]]
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|-
![[Scott Thomson (actor)|Scott Thomson]]
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|-
![[James Handy]]
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|
|
|-
![[John Roselius]]
|
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|-
![[Sarah Jessica Parker]]
|
|
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|-
![[Brendan Fraser]]
|
|
|
|
|
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|<center>{{ya}}</center>
|-
|}
 
=== Television ===
 
==== Filmmaking credit ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year(s)
!Title
!Director
!Writer
!Producer
!Creator
!Notes
|-
|1976
|''[[The Bob Newhart Show]]''
|
Line 290 ⟶ 197:
|3 episodes
|-
| 1976–78
|1976-78
|''[[The Tony Randall Show]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|
|Director (4 episodes) / Writer (6 episodes) / Producer (22 episodes)
|-
|1977
|''The Chopped Liver Brothers''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|Director (4 episodes), writer (6 episodes)
|
|TV film
|-
| 1978–82
|1978-82
|''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|All 90 episodes / Director (2 episodes) / Writer (17 episodes) / Theme song writer
|Director (2 episodes), writer (17 episodes);<br>Also theme song writer
|-
| 1986–87
|1986-87
|''[[Easy Street (TV series)|Easy Street]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|All 22 episodes / Director (3 episodes) / Writer (episode: "The Mad Gardener")
|Directed 3 episodes, wrote episode "The Mad Gardener"
|-
| 1987–88
|1987-88
|''[[Frank's Place]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|All 22 episodes / Director (7 episodes) / Writer (9 episodes)
|Director (7 episodes), writer (9 episodes)
|-
| 1989–90
|1989-90
|''[[The Famous Teddy Z]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes|Executive}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|All 20 episodes / Director (3 episodes) / Writer (4 episodes)
|Director (3 episodes), writer (4 episodes)
|-
| 1991
|''Sunday in Paris''
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes|Executive}}
|
|TV short
|-
| 1991–93
|1991-93
|''[[The New WKRP in Cincinnati]]''
|
Line 352 ⟶ 251:
|
|{{yes}}
|
|All 47 episodes
|-
| 1997
|''[[Rough Riders (miniseries)|Rough Riders]]''
|
Line 360 ⟶ 259:
|
|
|Miniseries (2 episodes)
|}
 
'''TV movies'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
|2000
! Title
|''[[The Contender (2000 film)|The Contender]]''
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
! Notes
|-
| 1977
|''The Chopped Liver Brothers''
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes}}
|
|
|TV film
|-
| 2000
|''The Contender''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| Unaired pilot for [[UPN]]
|}
 
==== '''Acting credit ====roles'''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1978
|''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]''
|Policeman #1
|Episode: "Hold Up"
|-
| 1988
|''[[Frank's Place]]''
|D. Wayne Thomas
Line 406 ⟶ 322:
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American television directors]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:American male television writers]]
[[Category:ComedyAmerican comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in Virginia]]
[[Category:Film directors from Florida]]
[[Category:Male actors from Miami]]
[[Category:American male television writers]]
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Florida]]
[[Category:University of Florida alumni]]
[[Category:University of Virginia faculty]]
[[Category:Writers from Miami]]
[[Category:ScreenwritersPhi fromDelta FloridaTheta members]]
[[Category:20th-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Wilson_(director)"
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