Robert Greenblatt is an American television executive, former Chairman of NBC Entertainment and current Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment. He began his television career at the Fox Broadcasting Company, where he ran prime-time programming and developed such shows as the original Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place, The X-Files, and Party of Five. From 1997 to 2003, he was an award-winning producer of over a dozen series for various networks, including Six Feet Under. From 2003 to 2010, he was President of Entertainment for Showtime. Under his leadership, he developed and supervised award-winning shows like Weeds, Dexter, Californication, and The Tudors. As a theatrical producer, he developed the musical stage adaptation of 9 to 5, which was nominated for four Tony Awards.
Under his watch, NBC is also the home of Smash, The Sound of Music Live, Peter Pan Live, the upcoming The Wiz . . . and who knows what other Broadway-themed entertainment Bob is cookin’ up? But whatever he’s got in mind, expect it to be good, and expect it to help continue to expand Broadway’s growin’ brand. And we owe him a big thank you for that.
I was able to thank him in person when he came to our office for this enlightening podcast about Broadway, television and their juxtaposition. Listen in to hear Bob talk about . . .
- How does one get to be the Chairman of a network anyway?
- What he’d do differently if he were producing 9 to 5 again (Bob was the lead Producer of the Dolly musical).
- The reaction he got when he told his team he wanted to air a musical on NBC . . . live . . . and how he got the courage to do it anyway.
- Could a reality casting show work on network TV?
- How developing a television show is similar to developing a Broadway show.
And lastly, you’ll hear a prediction at the end of the podcast from me, about how I expect Broadway to go through yet another growth period in a few years, and what will be the cause (hint, hint, it has something to do with today’s podcast guest).
Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway