David Angell

David Angell
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Name	David Angell
Birth date	April 10, 1946
Birth place	Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Death date	September 11, 2001
Death place	North Atlantic Ocean (aboard American Airlines Flight 11)
Occupation	Television producer, screenwriter
Years active	1979–2001
Spouse	Lynn Angell

David Angell was an American television producer and screenwriter best known for co-creating a landmark 1990s American sitcom. He achieved widespread acclaim through work that reshaped prime-time comedy and influenced a generation of writers and producers. His career spanned collaborations with major figures and institutions in television, and his death aboard an airliner during a widely covered terrorist attack prompted posthumous recognition and tributes.

Early life and education

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, he was raised in Rhode Island and later attended Providence College before serving in the United States Air Force. After military service he studied at the University of Rhode Island and later pursued graduate coursework related to media, connecting him with regional broadcasting outlets and early television production communities in New England. His formative years intersected with contemporaries from institutions such as Boston University and professional networks in New York City that shaped routes into national television.

Career

His early television career included staff writing and story editing positions on series produced by companies like NBC and independent studios tied to producers including Peter Tolan and David Isaacs (producer). He worked on sitcoms associated with producers from MTM Enterprises and writing rooms that also employed writers from The Carol Burnett Show and Saturday Night Live alumni. Rising through writing ranks, he formed a production partnership with fellow writer-producers who had credits on series from CBS and cable outlets, eventually leading to creating a flagship series for NBC in the 1990s. He later developed projects with networks such as ABC and production companies including Grub Street Productions and collaborated with talent represented by agencies such as William Morris Agency.

Major works and collaborations

His signature achievement was co-creating a workplace sitcom set in a broadcast newsroom that became a cultural touchstone of the 1990s, developed with collaborators who had previously written for series like Cheers, Wings, and Seinfeld. He frequently partnered with writers and producers including Peter Casey (producer), David Lee (producer), and other showrunners who had credits on Frasier and Cheers. Guest directors and recurring cast drew from performers associated with Saturday Night Live, Second City, and the Royal Shakespeare Company touring actors; notable guest stars included performers from The Simpsons voice ensemble and film actors who had worked with studios like Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox. He also contributed episodes and story material to series distributed by syndicators like King World Productions and collaborated with composers who scored for Universal Television and network drama divisions.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career he and his creative partners received multiple accolades from major American and international awarding bodies, including honors from the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Writers Guild of America. Series he co-created was recognized by institutions such as the American Film Institute and was repeatedly nominated by the Television Critics Association. Posthumous tributes and memorials included acknowledgments from the Kennedy Center, entries in halls of fame associated with Providence College, and industry lifetime achievement recognitions presented at guild ceremonies involving the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Personal life

He was married to Lynn Angell and the couple had two children. The family maintained residences consistent with production work in Los Angeles and frequently traveled between California and New England for personal and professional commitments. He engaged with charitable organizations connected to causes supported by colleagues from Hollywood Foreign Press Association events and participated in fundraisers alongside entertainers affiliated with Comic Relief and philanthropic efforts linked to the Screen Actors Guild community.

Death and legacy

He died in 2001 when the airliner on which he was traveling was hijacked in a coordinated series of attacks that targeted landmarks including World Trade Center sites. His death prompted remembrances from peers across NBC, the Writers Guild of America, and the broader television community, with on-air tributes during season premieres and special commemorative broadcasts. His creative legacy endures through syndication and streaming of the series he co-created, influence on subsequent writers who went on to work on shows for Netflix, Hulu, and legacy networks, and institutional memorials such as endowed scholarships at Providence College and industry tribute events at the Paley Center for Media and Museum of Television and Radio.

Category:American television producers Category:American television writers Category:1946 births Category:2001 deaths