David Mirkin

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David Mirkin is an American, feature film and television director, writer and producer. He is a native of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University. He has won several Emmys along with the prestigious Peabody Award.

His first job writing for television was on the American version Three's Company. Mirkin walked away from the experience with a brand new cat, taken from one of the episodes. He named the cat T.C., short for "Televised Cat".

Mirkin was the executive script supervisor and writer for the popular television show, Newhart from 1982 to 1990. In the early 1990s, Mirkin created an unusual television series with comedian Chris Elliott, entitled Get a Life, which he also usually wrote and directed. That show only lasted a couple of seasons, but has a loyal following of fans to this day.

He also wrote an unsuccessful pilot with Julie Brown and Charlie Coffey entitled The Julie Show, starring co-creator Brown. It was not picked up for the fall season.

Mirkin was the executive producer/showrunner for the popular animated series, The Simpsons during its fifth and sixth seasons (1993 – 1995). To this day Mirkin works part time for the show, helping with the re-write process. An adamant vegetarian, he was responsible for Lisa's conversion to vegetarianism in season seven episode "Lisa the Vegetarian." He also was the Executive Producer for two episodes in the ninth season of The Simpsons (The Joy of Sect and All Singing, All Dancing)

From 1992 to 1998, Mirkin was one of several directors for the HBO series, The Larry Sanders Show.

Mirkin also directed two successful feature films Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) starring Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino and Heartbreakers (2001) starring Sigourney Weaver and Gene Hackman. He also directed the James Taylor video "Enough to be on Your Way". His next film, Sports Widow, starring Reese Witherspoon, is set for release in 2008