Herbert Brodkin (November 9, 1912 – October 29, 1990) was an American producer and director of film and television.

Brodkin was best known as the producer of the television shows Playhouse 90, The Defenders, the miniseries Holocaust and the short-lived series Coronet Blue.

Brodkin was also the founder and president of Plautus Productions and also the co-founder of Titus Productions with Robert Berger in 1965.

Early life and education

Brodkin was born to a Jewish familyTelevision Academy: "Herbert Brodkin" retrieved October 23, 2017 on November 9, 1912, in New York City, the youngest of six children born to parents Adolph (1873 – 1946) and Rose (Gutner) Brodkin. Brodkin's parents were both born in Russia. His father immigrated from Russia in 1887 and his mother in 1894. Brodkin had two older brothers; Nathanal and Milton (1904–1970), and three older sisters; Gertrude, Ethel, and Beatrice.

Brodkin graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in 1934 and from the Yale School of Drama in 1940.

Career Broadway

Brodkin started his career as a scenic designer of the 1947 Broadway drama O'Daniel. He was also the scenic designer of many other plays. Eventually, Brodkin would be the production manager of the plays Texas, Li'l Darlin, (1949), and Something About a Soldier, (1962).

Television

Brodkin began his career in television in 1950 as a set designer at CBS. Brodkin achieved recognition a few years later and became a producer for many anthology programs of the 1950s including Center Stage, The Elgin Hour, The Alcoa Hour, Goodyear Television Playhouse, and Studio One.

Playhouse 90 was one of Brodkin's most memorable production credits. Beginning in 1956, the series was able to put Brodkin's expertise in the theatrical arts at work. The series ended in 1960. Another one of Brodkin's memorable production credits was the 1960s courtroom drama The Defenders. The series starred E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed as a father-and-son defense attorney team who, under the production of Brodkin, dealt with subjects such as euthanasia and blacklisting, subjects which, at the time, were very touchy for television. Brodkin also became famous for his use of close-ups and fast cuts in the series.

Some of the other television series that Brodkin produced were Brenner, The Nurses, For the People, and Coronet Blue, (all for CBS), Shane (for ABC), and Espionage (for NBC).

Film

Brodkin also produced several films throughout his career.

One of those films include the 1981 movie Skokie. Skokie was the true story of constitutional rights in Illinois. The movie's plot was based on the real life NSPA Controversy of Skokie, Illinois, in the late 1970s which involved the National Socialist Party of America. The movie starred Danny Kaye.

Plautus Productions/Titus Productions

In 1959, Brodkin founded and became the president of Plautus Productions. The company was responsible for series such as Brenner, The Defenders, The Nurses, Espionage, For the People, and Coronet Blue. In 1963, the company was sold to Paramount Pictures. The production company closed in 1967.

In 1965, Brodkin, along with producer Robert Berger founded Titus Productions. Titus Productions served as the production company for many of the TV shows and films that Brodkin produced including the miniseries Holocaust in 1978 and Doubletake in 1985, and the movies Skokie and Mandela. The company was acquired by the Taft Entertainment Company in 1981. The studio defunct in 1989.

Personal life

Brodkin was married once to Patricia M. Brodkin (May 3, 1917–April 1, 1983).

Death

Brodkin died on October 29, 1990, in New York City, New York at the Mount Sinai Hospital. He died of an aneurysm at the age of 77. He was eleven days shy of his 78th birthday.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Brodkin. He was survived by his two daughters; Lucinda D. and Brigit A. Brodkin. He was also survived by two older sisters; Pat Cutler, and Beatrice Forrest.

Legacy and Honors

At Brodkin's alma mater, Yale School of Drama there are two scholarship and graduate programs established by Brodkin. They are The Herbert H. and Patricia M. Brodkin Scholarship and The Patricia M. Brodkin Memorial Scholarship.

The Herbert H. and Patricia M. Brodkin Scholarship was established by Herbert and Patricia Brodkin in 1963. The program is given to an outstanding student selected by the faculty of the school. The Patricia M. Brodkin Memorial Scholarship was established in 1983 by Herbert Brodkin, associates and friends in memory of his recently deceased wife Patricia. The program is awarded to a student of the school.

Brodkin was posthumously inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1999. Other inductees that year included Carl Reiner, Fred Rogers, and Fred Silverman.

Awards and nominations

1956: Nominated Emmy as Best Producer of a Live Television Series for The Alcoa Hour and Goodyear Television Playhouse (NBC). 1968: Nominated Emmy as Outstanding Dramatic Program for CBS Playhouse (CBS). 1969: Nominated Emmy as Outstanding Dramatic Program for CBS Playhouse (CBS). 1975: Nominated Emmy as Outstanding Special - Drama or Comedy for The Missiles of October. Shared with Irv Wilson and Robert Berger (ABC). 1978: Won Emmy as Outstanding Producer of a Limited Series for Holocaust. Shared with Robert Berger (NBC). 1982: Nominated Emmy as Outstanding Drama Special for Skokie (CBS). 1987: Won ACE as Movie or Miniseries for Murrow. 1989: Nominated ACE as Movie or Miniseries for Mandela (HBO).

Filmography Film

Sebastian (1968) (Producer) The People Next Door (1970) (Producer)

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1950-1951 Charlie Wild, Private Detective Producer 2 episodes 1953 ABC Album Producer 2 episodes 1954 The Motorola Television Hour Producer 1 episode Center Stage Executive Producer Produced all episodes 1954-1955 The Elgin Hour Producer 2 episodes 1955 The Philco Television Playhouse Producer 1 episode 1955-1956 Alcoa-Goodyear Playhouse Producer 3 episodes 1957 Studio One Producer 4 episodes 1959-1960 Playhouse 90 Producer 6 episodes 1959-1964 Brenner Executive Producer 1961-1965 The Defenders Executive Producer 1962-1965 The Doctors and the Nurses Executive Producer 1965 For the People Producer 1966 Shane Producer 1967 Coronet Blue Executive Producer CBS Playhouse Producer Episode - Dear Friends 1968 CBS Playhouse Producer Episode - The People Next Door 1972 Lights Out Producer TV movie Crawlspace Producer TV movie 1973 Pueblo Producer TV movie Rx for the Defense Producer TV movie 1974 F. Scott Fitzgerald and 'The Last of the Belles' Executive Producer TV movie The Missiles of October Producer TV movie 1975 F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood Executive Producer TV movie 1976 The Land of Hope Executive Producer TV movie 1977 The Deadliest Season Executive Producer TV movie 1978 Holocaust Executive Producer Miniseries Siege Executive Producer TV movie The Last Tenant Executive Producer TV movie 1979 Hollow Image Executive Producer TV movie 1980 Doctor Franken Executive Producer TV movie Death Penalty Executive Producer TV movie F.D.R.: The Last Year Executive Producer TV movie The Henderson Monster Executive Producer TV movie King Crab Executive Producer TV movie 1981 Skokie Executive Producer TV movie 1982 My Body, My Child Executive Producer TV movie Benny's Place Executive Producer TV movie 1983 Ghost Dancing Executive Producer TV movie 1984 Sakharov Executive Producer TV movie 1986 Murrow Executive Producer TV movie 1987 Night of Courage Executive Producer TV movie Mandela Executive Producer TV movie 1988 Stones for Ibarra Executive Producer TV movie Doubletake Executive Producer TV movie 1990 Murder in Black and White Executive Producer TV movie Murder Times Seven Executive Producer TV movie

References

External links

The Herbert Brodkin Television Production Files. Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.