David Jablin
Encyclopedia
David Jablin is a producer and director and one of the pioneers of original television program
ming for Pay Television. In 1981 he created and produced the innovative comedy anthology series Likely Stories for HBO/Cinemax
, which featured the directing debuts of Rob Reiner
, Danny DeVito
, Christopher Guest
, and Billy Crystal
.
Peter Chernin
, then head of programming for Showtime, contacted Jablin to discuss future projects. This began Jablin’s long-term association with the cable network
, where he continued to produce and direct unique comedy films and specials that achieved both critical and ratings successes for the premium channel.
He conceived the story for and produced the network’s very first original film, The Ratings Game
, which starred Danny DeVito
and Rhea Perlman. The critically acclaimed project marked DeVito’s feature length directing debut, as well as garnering a WGA Award for Best Original TV Comedy Movie, and an International TV Movie Festival Award for Best Comedy.
Public Enemy #2 was nominated for 4 CableACE Awards, including Best Director for Jablin. The film won a Golden Eagle Award
, and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the Ten Best of TV for the year—the only cable production to make that year's distinguished list.
Larry Gelbart
’s Mastergate was nominated for a CableACE Award
, a Casting Society of America
Award, and was named the Best Television Movie of 1993 by Entertainment Weekly
.
Jablin produced and directed the timely satire, That Time Of The Month, (AKA Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's) a stinging parody of network news magazine shows. It was nominated for 3 CableACE Award
s including Best Director for Jablin.
After this string of satirical successes, Showtime signed an exclusive deal with Jablin to Executive Produce a series of original National Lampoon
movies for the network. The series was praised by critics for returning the Lampoon to its former hey-day of biting humor and cutting edge satire. Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
drew the network’s highest ratings for a made-for-film to that date. It starred Julie Brown
in a musical send-up of Tonya Harding
and Lorena Bobbitt’s debutante debacles. Attack was nominated for 2 CableACE awards. He also produced National Lampoon’s Favorite Deadly Sins
, which starred Denis Leary
and Joe Mantegna
. The production was nominated for 2 CableACE Award
s and won for Best Director.
Jablin both produced and directed the irreverent mob-comedy The Don's Analyst
, which stars Kevin Pollak
, Robert Loggia
, Joe Bologna, Sherilyn Fenn
, and Angie Dickinson
. The film proceeded the similarly themed Analyze This
& "The Sopranos
" by over a year.
Jablin is also currently developing several comedy features. He is attached to produce and direct the independent film Power Failure. The screenplay, by Larry Gelbart
, is based on his Broadway
play.
The satirical comedy High Alert is now set up at MGM and is based on Jablin’s original story. Jablin produces along with Norman Jewison
. Jewison is slated to direct. The project is a modern-day take on Jewison's cold-war classic, "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming
."
Jablin is also partnered with television legend, Don Hewitt
(creator of 60minutes) on his new satirical magazine show, "Humor Me." Jablin produces along with Larry Gelbart & Steven Hewitt. Jablin will direct.
This same group is partnered in an internet venture to bring pro-content to the web. Its initial foray is a dedicated satirical comedy-video website entitled, "C-SPAM.com"
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
ming for Pay Television. In 1981 he created and produced the innovative comedy anthology series Likely Stories for HBO/Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
, which featured the directing debuts of Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner
Robert "Rob" Reiner is an American actor, director, producer, writer, and political activist.As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
, Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
, Christopher Guest
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest , better known as Christopher Guest, is an American screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor and comedian. He is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed and starred in several improvisational "mockumentary" films that...
, and Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
.
Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin currently owns and runs Chernin Entertainment and The Chernin Group, both of which he founded in 2009. He was formerly President and COO of News Corporation, and Chairman and CEO of Fox Entertainment Group. He is a Corporate Director for American Express and sits on the Board of...
, then head of programming for Showtime, contacted Jablin to discuss future projects. This began Jablin’s long-term association with the cable network
Cable network
A cable channel is a television channel available via cable television. Such channels are usually also available via satellite television, including direct broadcast satellite providers such as DirecTV, Dish Network and BSkyB...
, where he continued to produce and direct unique comedy films and specials that achieved both critical and ratings successes for the premium channel.
He conceived the story for and produced the network’s very first original film, The Ratings Game
The Ratings Game
The Ratings Game, is a 1984 cable TV-movie directed by Danny DeVito and produced by David Jablin.-Plot:Vic DeSalvo is a successful New Jersey trucking magnate with a desire to make it big as a Hollywood producer - but he has no talent...
, which starred Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
and Rhea Perlman. The critically acclaimed project marked DeVito’s feature length directing debut, as well as garnering a WGA Award for Best Original TV Comedy Movie, and an International TV Movie Festival Award for Best Comedy.
Public Enemy #2 was nominated for 4 CableACE Awards, including Best Director for Jablin. The film won a Golden Eagle Award
Golden Eagle Award
The Golden Eagle Award is an accolade by the Russian National Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences of Russia to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, directors, actors, and writers...
, and was selected by Time Magazine as one of the Ten Best of TV for the year—the only cable production to make that year's distinguished list.
Larry Gelbart
Larry Gelbart
Larry Simon Gelbart was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter and author.-Early life:...
’s Mastergate was nominated for a CableACE Award
CableACE Award
The CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
, a Casting Society of America
Casting Society of America
Founded in Los Angeles, California in 1982, the Casting Society of America is a professional society of about 350 casting directors for film, television, and theatre in Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. The society is not to be confused with an industry union. The...
Award, and was named the Best Television Movie of 1993 by Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
.
Jablin produced and directed the timely satire, That Time Of The Month, (AKA Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's) a stinging parody of network news magazine shows. It was nominated for 3 CableACE Award
CableACE Award
The CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s including Best Director for Jablin.
After this string of satirical successes, Showtime signed an exclusive deal with Jablin to Executive Produce a series of original National Lampoon
National Lampoon Inc
National Lampoon, Incorporated is a company formed in 2002 in order to use the brand name "National Lampoon" in comedy and entertainment. In the words of its prospectus, the role of the company is to "develop, produce, provide creative services and distribute National Lampoon branded comedic...
movies for the network. The series was praised by critics for returning the Lampoon to its former hey-day of biting humor and cutting edge satire. Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women is a 1994 Showtime television movie that parodies two sensational news stories from the 1990s: The Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan incident, and the John and Lorena Bobbitt incident. The movie is presented as a double feature, with Julie Brown...
drew the network’s highest ratings for a made-for-film to that date. It starred Julie Brown
Julie Brown
Julie Ann Brown is an American actress, comedienne, screen/television writer, singer-songwriter, television director. Brown is perhaps best known for her work in the 1980s, where she often played a quintessential valley girl character...
in a musical send-up of Tonya Harding
Tonya Harding
Tonya Maxine Harding is an American figure skating champion. In 1991 she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed second in the World Championships. She was the second woman, and the first American woman, to complete a triple axel jump in competition...
and Lorena Bobbitt’s debutante debacles. Attack was nominated for 2 CableACE awards. He also produced National Lampoon’s Favorite Deadly Sins
Favorite Deadly Sins
National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins is 1995 comedy TV-film. It is trilogy of short episodes about the foundation of show business; Lust Greed and Anger. It starring Andrew Clay, Denis Leary and Joe Mantegna. Lust was written by Leary's wife, Ann Lembeck. It is the directorial debut of Denis Leary...
, which starred Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
and Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. is an American actor, producer, writer,director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Forget Paris , and Up Close & Personal...
. The production was nominated for 2 CableACE Award
CableACE Award
The CableACE Award was an award that was given from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in American cable television programming...
s and won for Best Director.
Jablin both produced and directed the irreverent mob-comedy The Don's Analyst
The Don's Analyst
The Don's Analyst is a TV film that premiered on Showtime in 1997. Starring Robert Loggia, it pre-dated the very similarly plotted movie Analyze This.-Plot:...
, which stars Kevin Pollak
Kevin Pollak
Kevin Elliot Pollak is an American actor, impressionist, game show host, and comedian. He started performing stand-up comedy at the age of 10 and touring professionally at the age of 20...
, Robert Loggia
Robert Loggia
Robert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director.- Early life :Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena Blandino, a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker, both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy...
, Joe Bologna, Sherilyn Fenn
Sherilyn Fenn
Sherilyn Fenn is an American actress and filmmaker. She came to international attention for her performance as Audrey Horne on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks...
, and Angie Dickinson
Angie Dickinson
Angie Dickinson is an American actress. She has appeared in more than fifty films, including Rio Bravo, Ocean's Eleven, Dressed to Kill and Pay It Forward, and starred on television as Sergeant Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson on the 1970s crime series Police Woman.-Early life:Dickinson, the second of...
. The film proceeded the similarly themed Analyze This
Analyze This
Analyze This is a 1999 gangster comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright Kenneth Lonergan and Peter Tolan. The film stars Robert De Niro as a mafioso and Billy Crystal as a psychiatrist...
& "The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
" by over a year.
Jablin is also currently developing several comedy features. He is attached to produce and direct the independent film Power Failure. The screenplay, by Larry Gelbart
Larry Gelbart
Larry Simon Gelbart was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter and author.-Early life:...
, is based on his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
play.
The satirical comedy High Alert is now set up at MGM and is based on Jablin’s original story. Jablin produces along with Norman Jewison
Norman Jewison
Norman Frederick Jewison, CC, O.Ont is a Canadian film director, producer, actor and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. Highlights of his directing career include In the Heat of the Night , The Thomas Crown Affair , Fiddler on the Roof , Jesus Christ Superstar , Moonstruck , The Hurricane and The...
. Jewison is slated to direct. The project is a modern-day take on Jewison's cold-war classic, "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming is an American comedy film. Based on the Nathaniel Benchley novel The Off-Islanders, the film was directed by Norman Jewison and adapted for the screen by William Rose....
."
Jablin is also partnered with television legend, Don Hewitt
Don Hewitt
Donald Shepard "Don" Hewitt was an American television news producer and executive, best known for creating 60 Minutes, the CBS television news magazine, in 1968, which at the time of his death, was the longest-running prime-time broadcast on American television...
(creator of 60minutes) on his new satirical magazine show, "Humor Me." Jablin produces along with Larry Gelbart & Steven Hewitt. Jablin will direct.
This same group is partnered in an internet venture to bring pro-content to the web. Its initial foray is a dedicated satirical comedy-video website entitled, "C-SPAM.com"