David Jablin
Biography
Filmography
Biography
Producer and director David Jablin has been one of the pioneers of original programming for Pay-TV. In 1983, he created and produced "Likely Stories," a series of one-hour comedy anthology programs. The series featured the directorial debuts of Rob Reiner, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer. Variety said the series, "ranks with the best of 'Saturday Night Live' & 'SCTV'," while the Chicago Sun Times claimed that the shows were "truly hilarious...absolutely brilliant."
Jablin next produced Showtime's first original film, "The Ratings Game," actor Danny DeVito's feature directorial debut co-starring wife Rhea Perlman. The critically acclaimed feature garnering a WGA Award for Best Original TV Comedy Movie and an International TV Movie Festival Award for Best Comedy. Over the last several years Jablin has produced and directed several original comedy films and specials for Showtime that have achieved both critical acclaim and high ratings, including "Public Enemy #2" (1991)-nominated for 4 Cable ACE Awards, including Best Director for Jablin. Starring Dave Thomas in a dual lead role, the comedy won a Golden Eagle Award and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 10 Best of TV-the only cable production to make the list that year.
Jablin then produced "Mastergate" (Showtime, 1992), a political satire adapted from Larry Gelbart's play about the U.S. Senate Watergate hearings. Featuring James Coburn, Dennis Weaver and Burgess Meredith, "Mastergate" was nominated for a Cable ACE Award, a Casting Society of America Award and was named the Best Television Movie of 1993 by Entertainment Weekly. Next, Jablin executive produced and directed the satire "That Time Of The Month," a stinging parody of network news magazine shows. Hailed as a "TV comedy classic" by the Los Angeles Times, the production featured an all-star cast led by Shelley Long, Martin Mull, Dan Hedaya and Nora Dunn. The comedy was nominated for 3 Cable ACE awards, including another Best Director nod for Jablin.
After this string of satirical successes, Showtime signed Jablin exclusively to the network to serve as executive producer on a series of original National Lampoon movies. The first, "National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 ft. 2 in. Women" (1994), drew the network's highest ratings for a made-for-cable film to date. Starring Julie Brown in a musical send-up of Tonya Harding and Lorena Bobbitt's debutante debacles, "Attack" was nominated for 2 Cable ACE awards. Debuting next was "National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins," a comic-trilogy, inspired by the sins of lust, greed and anger. "Lust" starred Denis Leary, "Greed" J Mantegna and "Anger" Andrew Dice Clay. The production was nominated for 2 Cable ACE awards, with Jablin winning for Best Director. He next produced and directed the irreverent mob-comedy, "The Don's Analyst" (TMC, 1997), starring Kevin Pollak, Robert Loggia, J Bologna, Sherilyn Fenn and Angie Dickenson. New York Newsday featured the film on it's Sunday TV Guide Cover and touted its "Pitch perfect Godfather attitude." Jablin was then attached to produce and direct the independent film, "Power Failure," penned by Larry Gelbart and based on the writer's Broadway play.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Director (Special)
Producer (Special)
Director (TV Mini-Series)
Producer (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1981
Created and produced, "Likely Stories," a series of ground-breaking one-hour comedy anthology programs
1984
Produced Showtime's first, original film, "The Ratings Game", which starred Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman; marked DeVito's feature length directing debut
1992
Produced for Showtime, the star-studded television adaptation of Larry Gelbart's Broadway satire, "Mastergate"
1993
Produced and directed "Public Enemy #2" for Showtime, which starred Dave Thomas; nominated for 4 Cable ACE Awards, including Best Director
1994
Executive Produced Showtime's "National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Foot 2' Women" a parody surrounding the events of Tanya Harding and Lorena Bobbit; directed by and starring Julie Brown
1995
Produced and directed Showtime's "National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins", a comic-trilogy, inspired by the sins of Lust (Denis Leary), Greed (Joe Mantegna) and Anger (Andrew "Dice" Clay)
1997
Produced and directed the irreverent mob-comedy, "The Don's Analyst" which stared Kevin Pollak, Sherilyn Fenn and Angie Dickenson
