Roger King (producer)
Encyclopedia
Roger Monroe King was an American
television
and media executive for King World Productions
and CBS
. He was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable
Hall of Fame in 1992 and the National Association of Broadcasters
Hall of Fame in 2004 and is credited with launching the careers of such top television stars as Oprah Winfrey
, Dr. Phil
and Alex Trebek
.
, Roger King became chairman of the board
of King World Productions in 1977, following the death of his father, Charles King, who had founded the company in 1964.
In what his close friends refer to as 'The Early Years' (1974-1977), Roger and his brother Bob commandeered TV Channel 6 WKID; where they broadcasted a Late Night TV Talk Show from Pirate's World in Hollywood Florida. The Show interviewed celebrities that were passing through South Florida. The interviews were followed by King World's Little Rascals. The local commercials that were played were Produced by Bob King and Narrated by Glamor Photographer Jessie Eastland aka Robert DeMeo , a close friend of Roger and Bob's during those years.
Under Roger's leadership, King World became the leading distributor of popular syndicated
television programming. He put on the national scene daytime television's most popular programs of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, including Harpo Productions The Oprah Winfrey Show
and Dr. Phil
and is also credited with launching the syndicated news magazine, Inside Edition
. He also syndicated Merv Griffin
's Wheel of Fortune (for Sony Pictures Television
), starring Pat Sajak
and Vanna White
which, according to CBS, has been the top-rated syndicated TV show for the past 26 years. Another of his Griffin syndications, Jeopardy!
(also by Sony Pictures Television
), has remained among the top three for 25 years.
in 2000 following the merger of King World Productions with the broadcasting network, and served as chief executive officer
of CBS Television Distribution
from 2000 until his death. He was responsible for the syndicated sale of repeat episodes from CBS' top prime-time shows, including the CSI
series, Survivor
, The Amazing Race
, Everybody Loves Raymond
(ancillary rights to this series are owned by HBO) and UPN's America's Next Top Model
.
convention in New Orleans, Roger King rented out the Louisiana Superdome
for the evening and hired Elton John
to entertain his guests. Remembering his early struggles in his own career, Roger King was known for reaching out his hand to newcomers in the industry and often availing himself as a mentor and advisor.
King was a summer resident of Bay Head, New Jersey
.
at his Florida
home in Boca Raton and died the following day at Boca Raton Community Hospital
at the age of 63. He was survived by his wife, Raemali, and three daughters, Kellie, Anna Rose and Lucinda.
Oprah Winfrey stated, "I will never forget what he did for me. And this industry will never forget his legendary presence. He was truly a great guy".
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 media executive for King World Productions
King World Productions
King World Productions, Inc. was a production company and a syndicator of television programming in the United States until its eventual 2007 incorporation into CBS Television Distribution...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable
Broadcasting & Cable
Broadcasting & Cable magazine is a television industry trade magazine published by NewBay Media. Previous names included Broadcasting/Telecasting, Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising, and Broadcasting...
Hall of Fame in 1992 and the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
Hall of Fame in 2004 and is credited with launching the careers of such top television stars as Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, Dr. Phil
Phil McGraw
Phillip Calvin McGraw best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, author, former psychologist, and the host of the television show Dr. Phil, which debuted in 2002...
and Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek
George Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
.
King World Productions
Born in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Roger King became chairman of the board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
of King World Productions in 1977, following the death of his father, Charles King, who had founded the company in 1964.
In what his close friends refer to as 'The Early Years' (1974-1977), Roger and his brother Bob commandeered TV Channel 6 WKID; where they broadcasted a Late Night TV Talk Show from Pirate's World in Hollywood Florida. The Show interviewed celebrities that were passing through South Florida. The interviews were followed by King World's Little Rascals. The local commercials that were played were Produced by Bob King and Narrated by Glamor Photographer Jessie Eastland aka Robert DeMeo , a close friend of Roger and Bob's during those years.
Under Roger's leadership, King World became the leading distributor of popular syndicated
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...
television programming. He put on the national scene daytime television's most popular programs of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, including Harpo Productions The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
and Dr. Phil
Dr. Phil (TV series)
Dr. Phil is a reality/talk television show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil debuted on September 16, 2002...
and is also credited with launching the syndicated news magazine, Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
. He also syndicated Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
's Wheel of Fortune (for Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
), starring Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak is a television personality, former weatherman, actor and talk show host, best known as the host of the American television game show Wheel of Fortune.-Early life:...
and Vanna White
Vanna White
Vanna White is an American television personality and film actress best known as the hostess of Wheel of Fortune since 1982.-Early life:...
which, according to CBS, has been the top-rated syndicated TV show for the past 26 years. Another of his Griffin syndications, Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
(also by Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
), has remained among the top three for 25 years.
Top executive at CBS
Roger King joined CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in 2000 following the merger of King World Productions with the broadcasting network, and served as chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution is a global television distribution company, formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's two domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment...
from 2000 until his death. He was responsible for the syndicated sale of repeat episodes from CBS' top prime-time shows, including the CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
series, Survivor
Survivor (U.S. TV series)
Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
, The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
, Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
(ancillary rights to this series are owned by HBO) and UPN's America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
.
Personal life
Roger King had a reputation for throwing lavish industry parties. In January 1998, during the NATPENATPE
The National Association of Television Program Executives is a professional association of television and emerging media executives...
convention in New Orleans, Roger King rented out the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
for the evening and hired Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
to entertain his guests. Remembering his early struggles in his own career, Roger King was known for reaching out his hand to newcomers in the industry and often availing himself as a mentor and advisor.
King was a summer resident of Bay Head, New Jersey
Bay Head, New Jersey
Bay Head is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 968. Bay Head is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Death
Roger King suffered a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at his Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
home in Boca Raton and died the following day at Boca Raton Community Hospital
Boca Raton Community Hospital
Boca Raton Regional Hospital is a 400-bed not-for-profit health care organization located in Boca Raton, Florida. Born out of compelling need in 1967, Boca Raton Regional Hospital has consistently focused its efforts and its resources on one mission and one purpose only; the health and welfare of...
at the age of 63. He was survived by his wife, Raemali, and three daughters, Kellie, Anna Rose and Lucinda.
Oprah Winfrey stated, "I will never forget what he did for me. And this industry will never forget his legendary presence. He was truly a great guy".
External links
- New York Times: Roger M. King, 63, TV Syndicator, Dies
- Hollywood Reporter: CBS TV Distribution's Roger King dies
- Hollywood Reporter: Colleagues remember Roger King
- Variety magazine: CBS exec Roger King dies at 63
- "Broadcasting & Cable" magazine: Syndication Legend Roger King Dies
- Steven Ameche: A Tribute To Roger King
- Archive of American Television interview