Harry Thomason facts for kids

Harry Zell Thomason (born November 30, 1940) is an American film and television producer and director. He is widely recognized for his work on the popular TV series Designing Women. Harry Thomason and his wife, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, are good friends with former President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. They played an important part in President Clinton's election campaigns.

His Life and Career

Harry Z. Thomason was born in Hampton, Arkansas. His father was a Southern Baptist deacon. Before becoming a producer, he was a high school science teacher and football coach in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was married to Judy Crump, and they have a daughter named Stacy.

In 1983, Thomason married his second wife, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. Together, they started a company called Mozark Productions. This company created several successful television shows. These included Designing Women, Hearts Afire, and Evening Shade. Later, in 2007, they began working on an HBO series called 12 Miles of Bad Road, which starred Lily Tomlin.

Working with the Clintons

Harry Thomason was a close friend of Bill Clinton. He produced a positive film about Clinton's life called The Man from Hope. This film was a key part of the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Thomason and his business partner, Darnell Martens, also helped the Clinton campaign with air travel. They also gave advice on how Clinton's public image could be presented.

After Clinton became president, Thomason was involved in an issue known as the Travelgate controversy. His partner, Martens, had heard that the White House Travel Office might not be working well. Thomason then encouraged Hillary Clinton to look into the travel office. When some financial problems were found, the White House asked the FBI to investigate. This led to some staff changes in the travel office. Thomason also helped plan the 1992 Presidential Inauguration. He continued to advise on public image at the start of another political issue.

In 2004, Thomason produced a documentary film called The Hunting of the President. This film was based on a book by Joe Conason and Gene Lyons. It explored the political challenges faced by Bill and Hillary Clinton. For this film, Thomason and Nickolas Perry were nominated for an award for best documentary screenplay.

Television Shows He Worked On

• Designing Women – He was a director and executive producer.
• Emeril – He was a director and executive producer.
• Evening Shade – He was a director.
• Hearts Afire – He was a writer, director, and executive producer.
• Lime Street – He was an executive producer.
• The Blue and the Gray – He was a producer.
• The Fall Guy – He was a writer.
• Women of the House – He was a director, producer, and executive producer.

Movies He Worked On

• A Shining Season – He was a producer.
• Encounter with the Unknown – He was a writer and director.
• Revenge of Bigfoot – He was a director and producer.
• So Sad About Gloria – He was a director and producer.
• The Day it Came to Earth – He was a director and executive producer.
• The Designing Women Reunion – He was a director.
• The Great Lester Boggs – He was a director.
• The Man from Hope – He was a director.
• To Find My Son – He was a producer.
• The Hunting of the President – He was a producer.
• The Last Ride – He was a director and producer.

A Quote from Harry Thomason

• "When you're in the political realm, you become a public figure, and anything is fair."

Adapted from the article Harry Thomason, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.