Donald P. Bellisario facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Donald P. Bellisario
Bellisario at Leap Con in 1993
Born	Donald Paul Bellisario (1935-08-08) August 8, 1935 (age 89) Cokeburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	Pennsylvania State University
Occupation	Television producer, screenwriter
Years active	1977–present
Known for	Magnum, P.I.; Tales of the Gold Monkey; Airwolf; Quantum Leap; JAG; NCIS
Spouse(s)	Margaret Schaffran ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1974)​ Lynn Halpern ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1984)​ Deborah Pratt ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 1991)​ Vivienne Lee Murray ​ ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	7, including Michael and Troian
Relatives	Sean Murray (stepson) Patrick J. Adams (son-in-law)
Awards	Hollywood Walk of Fame
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1955–1959
Rank	Sergeant

Donald Paul Bellisario (born August 8, 1935) is a famous American TV producer and writer. He created many popular TV shows that you might have seen or heard of. Some of his most well-known shows include Magnum, P.I., Quantum Leap, JAG, and NCIS. He has been working in television since 1977.

Early Life and Education

Donald Bellisario was born in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania, on August 8, 1935. His father was Italian-American, and his mother was Serbian-American.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1955 to 1959. He reached the rank of sergeant. After his military service, Bellisario went to Pennsylvania State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1961.

In 1965, Bellisario started working as an advertising writer in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Three years later, he became a creative director for an agency in Dallas, Texas. After eight years, he became a senior vice president. Then, he moved to Hollywood to start a career in screenwriting and TV production.

Television Career

Donald Bellisario learned from other TV producers like Glen A. Larson. He often used the same actors in different shows he created. This helped him build a strong team.

Creating Popular TV Shows

Bellisario created or helped create many successful TV series. These include Magnum, P.I., Airwolf, Quantum Leap, JAG, and NCIS. He also worked as a writer and producer on shows like Black Sheep Squadron and the original Battlestar Galactica. In 1988, he wrote and directed a movie called Last Rites.

Characters and Themes

Many of the main characters in Bellisario's shows have a military background. For example:

• In Magnum, P.I., Tom Selleck's character was a former Naval Intelligence officer.
• The main character in Airwolf was a Vietnam veteran.
• Harmon "Harm" Rabb, Jr. from JAG was a Naval Aviator.
• Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS is a retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant.
• Albert "Al" Calavicci in Quantum Leap was a former Naval Aviator and prisoner of war.

It's interesting that several of his main characters share August 8 as their birthday. This is also Donald Bellisario's birthday!

Later Career and Retirement

In 2004, Donald Bellisario received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made great contributions to entertainment.

He got the idea for Quantum Leap in 1988 after reading a book about time travel. His own experience serving in the Marines was also used in a Quantum Leap episode about Lee Harvey Oswald.

Bellisario retired from his daily work on NCIS in 2007. He still holds the title of executive producer, but he is not involved in the show's daily creative decisions. His production company is called "Belisarius Productions." It is named after a famous Roman general, Belisarius.

Family Life

Donald Bellisario has been married four times and has seven children.

He first married Margaret Schaffran in 1956. They had four children: Joy, David, Leslie, and Julie. David and Julie have also worked in TV production.

He then married Lynn Halpern in 1979. They had a son named Michael Bellisario. Michael is an actor who appeared in JAG and NCIS.

His third marriage was to Deborah Pratt in 1984. They had two children, Troian and Nicholas. Troian Bellisario is a well-known actress. She played roles in NCIS, Quantum Leap, and JAG. She is most famous for her role as Spencer Hastings in the TV series Pretty Little Liars.

In 1998, Bellisario married Vivienne Murray. Through this marriage, he gained two stepsons, Chad and Sean Murray. Sean Murray is an actor who plays Timothy McGee on NCIS.

Awards and Giving Back

Donald Bellisario has received several honors for his achievements and his generosity.

In 2001, his old university, Penn State, named him a Distinguished Alumnus. This is the highest award a graduate can receive.

In 2006, Bellisario donated $1 million to Penn State to create a scholarship. This scholarship helps students who have served in the military. He wanted to help young men and women who defended the country achieve their academic goals.

In 2016, he received a Visionary Award at a special event for UCLA Neurosurgery.

In 2017, Penn State renamed its College of Communications to the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. This was in honor of a $30 million donation he made to the university. This was one of the largest gifts ever given to Penn State.

Filmography