Jeff Sagansky
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Biography
Enthusiastic, prolific, highly successful TV and film producer and executive who, coming from a background in investment banking and finance, worked for NBC in the development and programming divisions alongside such figures as Warren Littlefield and Brandon Tartikoff. Eventually Sagansky made it to the rank of senior vice president for series programming. Among the series he helped develop for the network are "St Elsewhere" (1982-88), "Cheers" (1982-93), "Miami Vice" (1984-89) and "The Cosby Show" (1984-92).
Sagansky later held the reins at TriStar Pictures when he moved there as president of production and later overall president in the late 1980s, overseeing production on such popular features as "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986), "Look Who's Talking," and "Glory" (both 1989). In 1990 Sagansky moved back to the world of TV to assume the post of president of CBS Entertainment. He helped the network out of a slump of several years, in which it was running third in the ratings (including the 1989/90 season, its worst ever), to its former position at number one. In the spring of 1994 Sagansky announced he was leaving the job to seek new challenges, with speculations including a return to feature film production as well as a venture capital fund at CBS which would handle outside investments. He later joined Sony Corp. of America as executive vice president. In September 1995, Sagansky was named as interim head of Sony Interactive Entertainment. The following year, he was appointed as co-president (with John Calley) of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). He resigned from that post in February 1998 stating that the "clear understanding of what my role is has been changed." But he wasn't out of work for long; within three months, Sagansky was appointed as president and CEO of the Florida-based Paxson Communications.
Filmography
Producer (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1976
Began career at CBS-TV in broadcast finance
1977
Moved to NBC-TV as associate in program development; also manager of film programs
1978
Became director of dramatic development; left NBC-TV to become vice president of development for David Gerber Co.
1981
Returned to NBC-TV as vice president, series programming
1983
Promoted to senior vice president of series programming
1985
Joined TriStar Pictures as president of production
1989
Promoted to president of TriStar
1990
Left TriStar to become president of the entertainment division of CBS-TV
1991
Appeared on "It's Only Television", a children's special encouraging media literacy which aired on the Nickolodeon cable channel
1994
Joined Sony Corp of America as executive vice president
1994
Announced he was leaving CBS April 14
1995
Named to head Sony Interactive Entertainment in September
1996
Appointed co-president (with John Calley) of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
1998
In May, appointed as president and CEO of Paxson Communications
1998
Resigned as co-president of SPE on February 16
Family
Companions
