Dick Ebersol is an American network executive. Dick Ebersol is best known for being an executive at NBC for a long time. Together with Lorne Michaels, Ebersol created “Saturday Night Live” in 1975 when he was Director of Weekend Late Night Programming at NBC.
The show became a huge hit and is still going strong today. During the 1980s, when Billy Crystal and Eddie Murphy were on the show, Ebersol was the only producer. This was the time when Lorne Michaels left the show for a short time. During his time at NB, Dick got the rights to the Olympics for a successful run that began in 1996 and lasted for many years.
Early Years of Dick Ebersol’s Life
Duncan “Dick” Ebersol was born on July 28, 1947, in Torrington, Connecticut, to Mary and Charles Roberts Ebersol, a former chairman of the American Cancer Society. His father was also named Charles Roberts Ebersol.
After briefly attending Yale University, he began his career in the film industry in 1967 by becoming the first-ever Olympic researcher for ABC. Prior to that, he had taken a leave of absence from Yale.
Dick Ebersol’s Professional Life
As Director of Weekend Late Night Programming, Dick Ebersol joined NBC in 1974. When asked to fill the Saturday night time slot, Ebersol assisted Lorne Michaels in developing the concept for “Saturday Night Live,” a variety show. In 1983, he founded No Sleep Productions, the independent production business that produced the Emmy Award-winning programs “Friday Night Videos” and “Later with Bob Costas,” and he later was named Vice President of Late Night Programming. Before departing from “SNL” in 1985, Ebersol teamed up with Vince McMahon to establish “Saturday Night’s Main Event.”
In 1989, Ebersol was appointed president of NBC Sports. He received a promotion in June 1998 to Chairman, NBC Sports & Olympics. NBC Sports obtained the broadcasting rights to a number of Olympic Games during his leadership. With the Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, and the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Dick Ebersol attracted record-breaking audiences. Ebersol resigned from NBC Sports in 2011.
Dick Ebersol Net Worth
According to celebritynetworth The American network executive Dick Ebersol has a net worth of 60 million dollars at the present time. The majority of Dick Ebersol’s success may be attributed to his lengthy tenure as an executive at NBC.
In 1975, Ebersol served as the Director of Weekend Late Night Programming at NBC. It was around this time that he and Lorne Michaels conceived of “Saturday Night Live,” which went on to become a massive phenomenon that still exists to this day.
Awards and Honor to Dick Ebersol
In 1992, the International Olympic Committee bestowed the Olympic Order upon Dick Ebersol. “The Sporting News” named Ebersol the most influential person in sports in 1996. He received inductions into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2005.
In 2009, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded Dick Ebersol the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Sports Executive of the Year awards. Anthony J. Cernnera, president of Sacred Heart University, awarded him a doctorate in humane letters in 2010. And in 2014, Ebersol received the Paul White Award, the highest distinction granted by the Radio Television Digital News Association.
It was well known that Dick Ebersol disliked Fred Silverman, the president of NBC from 1978 to 1981. Ebersol said Silverman frequently forced programs onto the air before they were ready. He proudly mentioned the unsuccessful XFL experiment, quoting GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt as saying that taking risks is important, even when they don’t pay off.
Later, Ebersol left NBC Sports, alleging a disagreement over a contract with his new employers at Comcast. He asserted that he intended to “create a really amazing deal” with the business but that they were unable to come to an understanding.
Personal Life of Dick Ebersol
Susan Stafford, a former “Wheel of Fortune” hostess, was married to Dick Ebersol from 1976 to 1981. Since their 1981 marriage, he and Susan Saint James have produced three sons: Charlie, Willie, and Teddy, who perished in a plane disaster in 2004. When Susan Saint James served as a guest presenter for “SNL” in 1981, Dick Ebersol was there.
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Real Estate of Dick Ebersol
Dick and Susan spent $10.4 million buying a Telluride, Colorado, estate in 2004. The 13,000-square-foot mansion was advertised for $14 million in 2011. They agreed to pay $11.3 million for the house a year later.
They possess property in California and Massachusetts in addition to their estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, where they reside as their primary residence.
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Summary
Dick Ebersol was an executive at NBC for a long time. He co-created “Saturday Night Live” with Lorne Michaels in 1975. In 1983, he founded No Sleep Productions, which produced “Friday Night Videos” and “Later with Bob Costas”.
In 2009, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded Dick Ebersol the Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2010, Sacred Heart University awarded him a doctorate in humane letters. Since 1981, he and Susan Saint James have produced three sons: Charlie, Willie, and Teddy.
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