Alan Armer facts for kids

Alan A. Armer (born July 7, 1922 – died December 5, 2010) was a talented American television producer. He was famous for producing many popular TV shows. His most well-known work was The Fugitive. This show even won him an Emmy Award! He also produced other hits like The Invaders and The Untouchables.

Early Life and Education

Alan Armer was born in Los Angeles. He loved learning about theater and speech. He earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University. Later, he received a master's degree from UCLA. He also earned an honorary doctoral degree. This was from California State University, Northridge.

Alan Armer's Television Career

Starting in Radio and TV

After college, Alan Armer began his career in entertainment. He worked at a radio station in San Jose. There, he was an announcer. He then moved back to Los Angeles. He found a job at an advertising agency. This agency made television commercials.

In this role, Armer did many things. He wrote, acted in, and directed commercials. He also narrated and edited them. Later, he and a relative, Walter Grauman, created their own TV show. It was called Lights, Camera, Action. This show aired on NBC for three years. He was then hired by the station. He worked as a floor manager and later as a director.

Producing Shows at 20th Century Fox

Alan Armer then moved to 20th Century Fox. Here, he produced several television series. These included My Friend Flicka. He also produced Broken Arrow.

Success with The Fugitive and Other Hits

Armer became an executive producer for The Untouchables. He then joined QM Productions. This is where he produced The Fugitive. For this show, he won a special award. It was the Television Academy's Emmy Award. He also produced The Invaders. And he worked on the first year of Cannon.

His work on The Fugitive brought him more awards. He won a 1965 Edgar Award. This award is from the Mystery Writers of America. TV Guide Magazine gave him a "Most Popular Series" award. He also received a Producers Guild Award. Later, he became a member of the Producers Guild's Television Hall of Fame.

Teaching Future TV Makers

In 1980, Alan Armer started teaching. He became a part-time professor. This was at California State University, Northridge. He eventually became a full professor. He also led the Screenwriting Option. This was part of the Cinema and Television Arts Department. Armer taught students how to direct. He also taught all levels of screenwriting.

Later Years

Alan Armer passed away on December 5, 2010. He died at his home in Century City, California.