David P. Levin (born August 5, 1958)[1] is an American producer, director, writer and editor. In the early days of MTV, he produced Rockumentaries on Madonna and Michael Jackson, and later went on to help create and develop the "Uncensored" brand for MTV.[2][3] Later on he created, produced and directed TV Land Confidential for TV Land,[2][4][5] and also produced and directed When Pop Culture Saved America,[6][7] Which Entertainment Weekly cited as one of the 10 specials to watch on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.[8] He is the founder of BrainStorm Inc., a video production company with a focus on television projects.[9]
David P. Levin | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 5, 1958 |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, director, writer, editor |
| Years active | 1990–current |
Early life edit
Levin was born in Framingham, Massachusetts. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, and graduated from Teaneck High School.[10]
Levin attended Rutgers University, where he created Knight Time Productions in 1979, the first student-run television production group at the university. Prior to the establishment of RU-TV in 1999, this group was responsible for all the student television on the New Brunswick Campus of Rutgers.
Career edit
Upon graduation, Levin began as an editor, and later worked as a director/producer/writer for a variety of companies, including American Movie Classics, USA Network and MTV. While at MTV, he produced several episodes of the "Rockumentaries" series, including Madonna, Elton John and Michael Jackson.
Levin co-created the long-running, Emmy nominated series "MTV Uncensored" for the network. Later he went on to create "TV Land Confidential",[4] "The A-List", for Animal Planet,[11] and the pilot for the comedy series "Take Two" which starred Anson Williams, Don Most and Beth Littleford.[12]
In 2011, Levin wrote, directed and produced "When Pop Culture Saved America", a documentary commemorating the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The show dealt with the impact of pop culture on the country in the aftermath of the attacks, and how they helped to heal the United States. The documentary premiered on A&E's The Biography Channel without commercial interruption on the tenth anniversary of the attacks.[13][7]
Levin has also written several books: two children's story books featuring Superman as well as MTV Uncensored, a coffee-table book released for the twentieth anniversary of MTV.[14] Levin was also the writer of what is thought to be one of the rarest Superman comics ever published, titled "This Island Bradman" (artwork by Curt Swan), a comic book that was privately commissioned in 1988 by real estate tycoon Godfrey Bradman as a Bar Mitzvah gift for his son.[15] He also wrote one of the issues of DC Comics Bonus Book, for issue #24 of Justice League International in February 1989.[16]
Levin is also the host and executive producer of "POP GOES THE CULTURE TV", a YouTube channel.
References edit
- ^ "David P. Levin". imdb.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ a b Lokken, Maria (November 6, 2009). "The Secret Behind Getting the Whole Story". marialokken.com. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "MTV Uncensored", MTV July 31, 2001
- ^ a b "TV Land Confidential". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "TV Land Confidential Cast". TV.com. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
- ^ a b "A&E and BIO Channel Present Four Commercial-Free Documentary Specials Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11". TV by the Numbers. August 16, 2011. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ Stransky, Tanner (September 2, 2011). "9/11 Specials: 10 shows to watch". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "BrainStorm, Inc". BrainStorm, Inc. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
- ^ Teaneck HiWay, 1976. Content provided by MemoryLane.com. May 1976. ASIN B006YZCR3I. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ "The A List". Animal Planet. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ Webster, Rachel (July 15, 2008). "Happy Days Duo Reunites, Recruits for New Series, Take 2". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (September 11, 2011). ""When Pop Culture Saved America," Featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Airs on Biography Sept. 11-12". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ Hoye, Jacob; Levin, David P.; Cohn, Stuart (2001). MTV Uncensored. Pocket Books. ISBN 0743426827 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Superman #nn Bradman Private Commission". Rare Comics. Archived from the original on February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ Justice League International #24 at the Grand Comics Database