Kevin Burns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Burns
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Kevin Burns in 2013
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| Born | June 18, 1955 |
| Died | September 27, 2020 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California
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| Occupation | Producer, director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1981–2020 |
Kevin Burns (born June 18, 1955 – died September 27, 2020) was an American who made many TV shows and movies. He was a producer, director, and screenwriter. This means he helped create, guide, and write stories for television and film. You might have seen his work on channels like A&E, National Geographic Channel, and The History Channel. Kevin Burns helped make over 800 hours of TV shows!
Contents
About Kevin Burns
His Early Life
Kevin Burns was born in 1955 and grew up in Niskayuna, New York. He went to St. Helen’s School and then Niskayuna High School. In 1977, he graduated from Hamilton College.
He then studied film at Boston University's College of Communication. In 1981, he earned a master's degree in film. That same year, he won a Student Academy Award. This award was for his first film, I Remember Barbra. It was a funny documentary about how Barbra Streisand affected her old neighborhood.
After college, Burns taught film production at Boston University. He also led the school's "Film Unit." This group helped students get real experience. They made commercials, public service announcements, and documentaries. In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles to work in television.
His Career in TV and Film
While working at Fox, Kevin Burns helped start Foxstar Productions. This company made a series of Alien Nation movies for TV. In 1994, he also started Van Ness Films. This company focused on making non-fiction shows and documentaries.
Around this time, he met Jon Jashni. They both loved the work of Hollywood producer Irwin Allen. In 1999, Burns became a full-time producer. He and Jon Jashni created Synthesis Entertainment. They started making new versions of Allen's old shows and movies. These included a TV pilot for The Time Tunnel (2002) and the movies Poseidon (2006).
In 1999, Burns also started Prometheus Entertainment. This company specializes in documentaries and reality shows. Here, Burns produced and directed many different programs. These included Hollywood Science for the National Geographic Channel and Food Paradise.
Award-Winning Work
In 2002, Kevin Burns won his first Emmy Award. He won it as an executive producer for A&E's Biography series. That same year, George Lucas chose him to make a documentary. This film was called Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy. It was about the original Star Wars movies.
Four years later, Lucas chose him again. Burns produced and directed Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed. This documentary was shown on The History Channel. It was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
Burns also worked on other special shows. He co-produced Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman. He also made Spider-Man Tech and Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest. Other projects included Batman Unmasked and Angels & Demons: Decoded.
Later Projects
Since 2010, Kevin Burns and his company Prometheus Entertainment have made many popular shows. These include Ancient Aliens, America's Book of Secrets, and The Curse of Oak Island. All of these shows are on The History Channel.
Kevin Burns also helped create the Lost in Space reboot for Netflix. He was an executive producer for this show.
His Passing
Kevin Burns passed away on September 27, 2020. He died from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.
