Alan Wagner facts for kids
Alan Cyril Wagner (born October 1, 1931 – died December 18, 2007) was an American television executive, radio personality, and writer. He was also an expert on opera. Wagner helped create many popular TV shows. He worked as a top manager at CBS from 1976 to 1982. After that, he became the first president of the Disney Channel.
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Early Life and Career
Alan Wagner was born in New York City. He grew up in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn. He studied at Columbia University, earning both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
In the mid-1950s, Wagner served in the United States Navy. While in the Navy, he even appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. He performed a comedy act with some fellow sailors.
Radio and Opera Work
After leaving the Navy, Wagner became a host for the WNYC radio show Living Opera in 1957. This show aired for two hours every Sunday morning. It featured parts of opera recordings and interviews with singers. Wagner often shared funny stories about what happened backstage. He hosted Living Opera for eleven years, leaving in 1968.
Wagner also shared his knowledge of opera in other ways. He was a frequent guest and commentator on radio broadcasts for the New York City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. He gave popular talks about opera for the Metropolitan Opera Guild. He also wrote articles for Opera News magazine for many years. In 1961, he published a book called Prima Donnas and Other Wild Beasts. This book was full of interesting backstage stories.
Working in Television
While working on Living Opera, Alan Wagner also started working for CBS. He moved up in the company. By 1976, he became the East Coast vice president of programming. This meant he was in charge of creating and overseeing many TV shows.
During his time at CBS, Wagner helped bring many famous shows to television. These included hits like All in the Family, Kojak, M*A*S*H, The Bob Newhart Show, The Waltons, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He also brought cultural programs to CBS. For example, he helped bring Vladimir Horowitz: a Concert at Carnegie Hall and Sills and Burnett at the Met to TV.
Starting the Disney Channel
In 1982, the Walt Disney Company asked Wagner to become the first president of the Disney Channel. This was a new and exciting idea at the time. It was planned to be the first cable channel fully dedicated to shows for children and families.
Wagner was given a large budget of $100 million. He hired a team to create new shows for the channel. They also used many existing Disney TV programs and movies. The Disney Channel first aired on April 18, 1983. It started by broadcasting for 16 hours a day.
Wagner left the Disney Channel after its first year of broadcasting. After that, he started his own film and TV production company called Boardwalk Entertainment.
Later Life and Awards
Alan Wagner also taught as a professor at Syracuse University and Yale University. He gave talks about television and opera. He received several awards for his work. These included a Burkey Award from the Writers Guild of America in 1983. He also got a Silver Circle Award from the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Wagner passed away in Manhattan in 2007. He was married to Martha Wagner for 51 years. They had three children: a son named David, and two daughters, Susan and Elizabeth. They also had five grandchildren.
See also
In Spanish: Alan Wagner para niños
