NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION STUDIO CO-PRESIDENT DAVID KISSINGER JOINS CONACO PRODUCTIONS AS NEW PRESIDENT
BURBANK, Calif. -� May 25, 2005 -� David Kissinger will join Conaco Productions as its new President, it was announced today by Conan O'Brien and Jeff Ross, who head the production company. Kissinger was formerly Co-President, NBC Universal Television Studio.
"I am thrilled to work with someone of David's caliber to help take our young company to the next level," said O'Brien, the host of NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
In his new role, Kissinger will be responsible for development and all creative aspects of the production company, which has a POD deal with NBC Universal Television Studio.
"Working with Conan O'Brien is a dream job for me," said Kissinger. "His work in late night is consistently brilliant and I'm excited about the opportunity to bring their inventiveness and energy to prime time. I can't imagine more talented producing partners than Jeff Ross and A.J. Morewitz. I'm also delighted to continue working with my friends and colleagues at NBC Universal, with whom I've formed such close bonds over the past eight years. I know their commitment to quality programming and to the success of Conaco."
Kissinger shared the title of Co-President with Angela Bromstad since Universal Network Television and NBC Studios formed together one year ago.
Before he was named Co-President of the NBC Universal Television Studio in May 2004, he was President, Universal Network Television, since April 1999.
While at Universal, Kissinger oversaw the expansion of the NBC drama franchise "Law & Order" to become the most successful brand on television -- which includes the original series and its spinoffs "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury."
Kissinger also oversaw the development of the acclaimed hit Fox series "House," the signature Emmy-winning USA Network series "Monk," SCI FI's new hit "Battlestar Galactica," and NBC's critically acclaimed new comedy "The Office."
A former journalist and a lawyer, Kissinger joined Universal Television as Senior Vice President, Comedy Development, in August 1997 and served in that capacity until being named President.
Earlier, Kissinger was Senior Vice President of Development for five years at Walt Disney Television, overseeing both comedy and drama development from 1994-97. He joined Disney as Vice President, Comedy Development, in 1992, and was promoted after two years in that position.
At Disney, Kissinger supervised the development and production of over two-dozen comedy series, including "Home Improvement," "Ellen," "Boy Meets World," "Unhappily Ever After" and "Bakersfield, P.D." Following Disney, he served as a consultant at Twentieth Century Fox Television.
From 1990-92, Kissinger was a staff reporter at Variety covering the television industry. He also contributed to Rolling Stone, the New York Observer and numerous other publications.
Kissinger graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1983 and holds a J.D. degree from New York University. The executive serves on the Board of Governors for the Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles and the Jewish Television Network. Kissinger, who is married and has four children, resides in Los Angeles.
Conaco is organized under the NBC Universal Television Studio banner. A.J. Morewitz is the company's vice president. The company is headed by Conan O'Brien and Jeff Ross and has produced several pilots for three networks (including the much talked-about "Beat Cops") as well as the limited reality series "Lost" and two primetime specials, "50 Years of NBC Late Night" and "The 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' 10th Anniversary Special."
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