John Langley
Encyclopedia
John Langley is an American
television
and film
director
, writer
, and producer
who is best known as the creator and executive producer
of the long-running television show COPS
, which premiered on FOX
in March 1989.
Prior to that, he was among the reality television
pioneers as a producer of various two-hour event specials in syndicated television
markets during the 1980s. In fact, Langley is often credited as being the "father of reality television" with the appearance of COPS in 1989.
of the United States Army
from 1961 to 1963 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English
from California State University, Dominguez Hills
in 1971 and later a Master's degree in literature and composition.
Langley briefly participated in the doctorate program for philosophy in University of California, Irvine
. Among Langley's credits are American Vice: The Doping of a Nation, featuring three "live" drug
busts across the United States
during primetime viewing; Who Murdered JFK, an examination of the John F. Kennedy
assassination; and Terrorism: Target U.S.A., an early warning of the coming problems with terrorism
in the United States
as well as across the world. Langley's credits also include various network, cable
and syndicated TV shows, including the television series Code 3, Anatomy of Crime, Video Justice, and Cop Files.
He has also produced various independent films and directed film and documentary film
, including the Dolph Lundgren
workout video Maximum Potential, Dogwatch, Tiptoes and Wildside. His most notable achievement perhaps is the innovation of the "video verite" signature style of the award-winning COPS
television program, which notably influenced TV advertising and news reporting, not to mention other network and syndicated programming. COPS has broken records for primetime network television with nearly 800 episodes aired (as of 2008).
Langley was a producer of Antoine Fuqua
's Brooklyn's Finest
, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival
in January, 2009.
Langley also produced a television series called Inside American Jail for TruTV with his son Morgan
. In an innovative move, the show was also sold to and airs as Jail
on MyNetworkTV
. Jail is also an unscripted series following corrections officers as they process suspects through city and county jails. Morgan Langley is credited as co-creator of the new series, which incorporates the video verite style of COPS. Father and son then produced Las Vegas Jailhouse as yet another examination of crime and the justice system in America. Fox Home Entertainment released Langley's COPS 20th Anniversary DVD on February 19, 2008. The 2 disc DVD edition has a wealth of bonus material and footage shot over the past 20 years in a 388 minute extravaganza that includes spoofs and tributes, famous fan favorites, the history of the show and various specials and spinoffs.
COPS has been renewed for its 23rd broadcast season (2010/2011) on Fox while continuing its national run on syndicated and cable TV, thus becoming one of the longest running entertainment show in television
history.
During the 2010/2011 television season, Langley was also responsible for the following series running concurrently: COPS,' Jail, Las Vegas Jailhouse, Street Patrol and Vegas Strip". More recent TV shows include Road Warriors on SPIKE.
nominations. Other awards include the Cine Golden Eagle and Houston International Film Festival winner for the documentary Cocaine Blues. His DVDs, moreover, have won various awards for greatest sales records in the mid 1990s when he founded Real Entertainment and pioneered the reality DVD market with VHS releases of multiple reality titles like COPS: Too Hot for TV and The Amazing Video Collection. The term Too Hot for TV was coined and trademarked by Langley during this period and was used in marketing until he sold the company.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
who is best known as the creator and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of the long-running television show COPS
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
, which premiered on FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in March 1989.
Prior to that, he was among the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
pioneers as a producer of various two-hour event specials in syndicated television
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
markets during the 1980s. In fact, Langley is often credited as being the "father of reality television" with the appearance of COPS in 1989.
Life and career
Langley worked the intelligence unitUnited States Army Intelligence and Security Command
The United States Army Intelligence and Security Command is a direct reporting unit that conducts intelligence, security, and information operations for U.S. Army commanders and national decision makers. INSCOM is both an organization within the United States Army and the National Security Agency,...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1961 to 1963 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
from California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, Dominguez Hills is a public university located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County and was founded in 1960...
in 1971 and later a Master's degree in literature and composition.
Langley briefly participated in the doctorate program for philosophy in University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
. Among Langley's credits are American Vice: The Doping of a Nation, featuring three "live" drug
Psychoactive drug
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior...
busts across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during primetime viewing; Who Murdered JFK, an examination of the John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
assassination; and Terrorism: Target U.S.A., an early warning of the coming problems with terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as well as across the world. Langley's credits also include various network, cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and syndicated TV shows, including the television series Code 3, Anatomy of Crime, Video Justice, and Cop Files.
He has also produced various independent films and directed film and documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, including the Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...
workout video Maximum Potential, Dogwatch, Tiptoes and Wildside. His most notable achievement perhaps is the innovation of the "video verite" signature style of the award-winning COPS
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
television program, which notably influenced TV advertising and news reporting, not to mention other network and syndicated programming. COPS has broken records for primetime network television with nearly 800 episodes aired (as of 2008).
Langley was a producer of Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua is an American film director. He directed the film Training Day as well as Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter and Brooklyn's Finest...
's Brooklyn's Finest
Brooklyn's Finest
Brooklyn's Finest is a 2009 American crime film starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, and Wesley Snipes in his first theatrical film since 2004's Blade: Trinity. The film also stars Will Patton, Ellen Barkin and Vincent D'Onofrio. It is directed by Antoine Fuqua, and written by Michael...
, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in January, 2009.
Langley also produced a television series called Inside American Jail for TruTV with his son Morgan
Morgan Langley
Morgan Langley, , is an American television producer. He is best known as the executive producer, and former producer, of the long-running COPS television show, currently entering its 24th season on the Fox Broadcasting Network...
. In an innovative move, the show was also sold to and airs as Jail
Jail (TV series)
Jail is a reality television series that follows suspected criminals from booking through incarceration. It appears on MyNetworkTV's 2007 Fall schedule. It also airs on TruTV under the name Inside American Jail...
on MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
. Jail is also an unscripted series following corrections officers as they process suspects through city and county jails. Morgan Langley is credited as co-creator of the new series, which incorporates the video verite style of COPS. Father and son then produced Las Vegas Jailhouse as yet another examination of crime and the justice system in America. Fox Home Entertainment released Langley's COPS 20th Anniversary DVD on February 19, 2008. The 2 disc DVD edition has a wealth of bonus material and footage shot over the past 20 years in a 388 minute extravaganza that includes spoofs and tributes, famous fan favorites, the history of the show and various specials and spinoffs.
COPS has been renewed for its 23rd broadcast season (2010/2011) on Fox while continuing its national run on syndicated and cable TV, thus becoming one of the longest running entertainment show in television
history.
During the 2010/2011 television season, Langley was also responsible for the following series running concurrently: COPS,' Jail, Las Vegas Jailhouse, Street Patrol and Vegas Strip". More recent TV shows include Road Warriors on SPIKE.
Awards
Langley has won various awards for the COPS television series, including the American Television Award and four Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations. Other awards include the Cine Golden Eagle and Houston International Film Festival winner for the documentary Cocaine Blues. His DVDs, moreover, have won various awards for greatest sales records in the mid 1990s when he founded Real Entertainment and pioneered the reality DVD market with VHS releases of multiple reality titles like COPS: Too Hot for TV and The Amazing Video Collection. The term Too Hot for TV was coined and trademarked by Langley during this period and was used in marketing until he sold the company.