Jess Oppenheimer

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Jess Oppenheimer (November 11, 1913 - December 27, 1988) was the principal writer for Lucille Ball and the inventor of the TelePrompTer. He was a native of San Francisco, California.

Oppenheimer was a subject of Stanford University researcher Lewis Terman's studies of gifted children. According to Stanford Magazine, Terman's assistant wrote in Oppenheimer's file, "I could detect no signs of a sense of humor."

Oppenheimer wrote radio and TV shows for Lucille Ball (with Madelyn Pugh and Bob Carroll Jr.) from 1948-1955, first on radio show, My Favorite Husband, and then on I Love Lucy. Oppenheimer even made a cameo appearance in an I Love Lucy episode entitled "The Audition" as a network representative.

After Lucy, Oppenheimer went on to write and produce Get Smart for Don Adams on NBC.

Oppenheimer received the patent for his TelePrompTer, which allowed actors, news personnel, and even U.S. Presidents to read from a script which was reflected off a half silvered mirror in front of the TV lens. This allows the performer to look directly into the camera lens rather than glancing down at a script or off camera to a cue card. Although originally created for Lucille Ball to read commercials, it soon became the staple for the newscast industry. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first politician to use the device, but he found it confusing and turned it off after one session.

Oppenheimer did work for other Desilu Studios productions too, including the 1960-1961 sitcom Angel starring Annie Fargé and Marshall Thompson, the story of a scatterbrained French woman who is married to an American architect.

Oppenheimer died in Los Angeles.