Anita W. Addison facts for kids

Anita Laraine Wharton Addison (September 6, 1952 – January 24, 2004) was an American television and film director and producer. She was a pioneering woman in television. Anita was one of the first African American women to become a senior producer for a major TV network.

About Anita Addison

Anita Addison was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her parents were both educators and civil rights activists. Her father, Donald Addison, was a sociology professor at North Carolina A&T. Her mother was Ruth Wharton Addison. Anita finished high school in Wisconsin.

Her Education

Anita went to Vassar College and studied political science. She graduated in 1974. Later, she earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. She also took film classes at New York University. In 1990, she received another master's degree in fine arts from UCLA.

Starting Her Career

Anita began her career as a journalist. She worked for magazines like People, Money, and Fortune. She was also a researcher for Time magazine. After that, she worked as an analyst for Nielsen ratings. This job was for a small TV station in Los Angeles.

Directing and Producing

Anita Addison produced, wrote, and directed a short film called "Savannah." This film was nominated for an Academy Award for best director in 1989.

In the late 1980s, she became a senior vice president at Lorimar. She worked on developing drama shows there. Later, she became a producer at Warner Bros. Television.

From 1995 to 1998, Anita was the Vice President of drama development at CBS. After leaving CBS, she worked on many TV series. These included Family Law and EZ Streets. She worked with director and writer Paul Haggis on these shows. In 1999, she directed the TV movie Deep in My Heart.

Anita was also involved in the L.A. Rebellion. This was an important African-American film movement at UCLA.

Her Legacy

Anita Addison passed away on January 24, 2004, in New York City. At the time, she was a producer at Paramount Television. She had just finished directing the pilot episode for a show called "Manhattan Valley." Paul Haggis, a famous director, dedicated his Oscar-winning film Crash to Anita.

Personal Life

Anita Addison had an older brother named Donald Addison. She also had a younger sister named Alveta Addison. For eight years, her partner was David Byrd.

Her Passing

Anita was working in New York City when she became ill in January 2004. She was admitted to New York-Presbyterian hospital. She passed away a week later. Her body was donated to science. People were encouraged to donate to their favorite causes in her memory. The cause of her death was breast cancer.