Martin Manulis

Martin Manulis
Name	Martin Manulis
Birth date	1915-07-08
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Death date	2007-09-29
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Television producer, film producer, theatre producer
Years active	1930s–1990s
Notable works	Playhouse 90, The Big Valley, The Twilight Zone

Martin Manulis was an American television, film, and theatre producer best known for his role as the executive producer of the CBS anthology series Playhouse 90. He produced landmark television dramas during the Golden Age of Television and later worked in film and theatre, collaborating with prominent writers, directors, and actors across Hollywood and Broadway. His career intersected with major institutions and figures in 20th-century American entertainment.

Early life and education

Manulis was born in New York City and raised during the era of the Great Depression, coming of age amid the cultural shifts of the Roaring Twenties and economic turmoil of the 1930s. He attended public schools in Manhattan before studying at institutions that connected him to the world of Broadway and New York media. Early exposure to venues such as the Shubert Theatre, the New York Times Building, and the offices of NBC in Radio City shaped his interest in dramatic production. Influences from figures associated with Group Theatre and companies like the Federal Theatre Project informed his developing tastes.

Radio and early career

Manulis began his career in radio during a period when programs on NBC Radio Network, CBS Radio Network, and Mutual Broadcasting System dominated American households. He worked on radio anthologies and live broadcasts that featured performers drawn from Broadway and touring companies associated with the American Theatre Wing. Collaborations with producers and directors linked him to names connected with Orson Welles, Arch Oboler, Maxwell Anderson, and writers from the WPA. Manulis moved into television production as networks such as CBS, NBC, and ABC transitioned talent from radio to the new medium, participating in early live television efforts alongside technicians from RCA and studios in Hollywood.

Television career

Manulis rose to prominence at CBS Television during the Golden Age, becoming the producer and executive producer of Playhouse 90, a live anthology series that featured adaptations and original teleplays. Playhouse 90 attracted writers and directors from Hollywood and Broadway, including collaborations with Rod Serling, Tennessee Williams, William Saroyan, Truman Capote, George Stevens, and John Frankenheimer. Under Manulis, the series showcased actors from a roster that included Jack Palance, Nina Foch, Burt Lancaster, Clifton Webb, and Grace Kelly before her move to Monaco. The show's production values and live broadcasts involved crews familiar with the technological demands championed by RCA, DuMont, and studio operations at CBS Broadcast Center. Manulis later produced episodic television such as The Big Valley, linking him with producers, showrunners, and studios active in the 1960s and 1970s television landscape, including executives from Paramount Television, Universal Television, and 20th Century Fox Television.

Film and theatrical work

Beyond television, Manulis produced feature films and stage productions, collaborating with figures from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures, and independent production companies. His film work connected him to directors and actors from the classical Hollywood studio era, and his theatre endeavors brought him back to venues on Broadway and regional houses like the Ahmanson Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum. He worked with playwrights and adaptors whose names aligned with the wider American dramatic tradition represented by Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, Harold Pinter, and Samuel Beckett in various productions. Manulis's cross-medium work reflected the mobility between Hollywood and New York that characterized many mid-century producers.

Personal life

Manulis lived in both New York City and Los Angeles during his career, engaging with social and professional circles that included agents from Creative Artists Agency, executives from William Morris Agency, and colleagues from producers' guilds such as the Producers Guild of America. His personal associations connected him to actors, directors, and writers who frequented venues like the Algonquin Hotel and industry events at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Manulis's life intersected with civic and cultural institutions including the American Film Institute, Museum of Television and Radio (now the Paley Center for Media), and philanthropic endeavors tied to theatrical charities such as the Actors Fund.

Legacy and impact

Manulis's tenure on Playhouse 90 helped define standards for live television drama during an era that involved critics from publications like the New York Times, Variety, and Time (magazine). The programs he produced influenced later anthology series and television formats developed by creators associated with Rod Serling's work on The Twilight Zone and producers at CBS and NBC. His career is discussed in histories of television production alongside names such as Fred Coe, Ned Brooks, David Susskind, Desi Arnaz, and executives at CBS Studios. Institutions such as the Museum of Broadcasting and academic programs in media history reference Manulis's contributions when tracing the evolution of American television, film, and theatre production practices.

Category:American television producers Category:1915 births Category:2007 deaths