Dalton Delan

Dalton Delan and Robert Redford

Delan in rehearsals with Redford on October 15, 2006 for the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, honoring Neil Simon.
Born August 5, 1954
Manhattan, New York, United States
Occupation Writer, editor, television producer
Delan and President Barack Obama at the "Red, White and Blues" concert at the White House on February 21, 2012

Dalton Delan (born August 5, 1954) is an American writer, editor, and television producer. His works with WETA, PBS and Sundance have won him numerous awards for his documentaries and primetime shows.[1] A number of his projects include working alongside Robert Redford. He is executive producer of In Performance at the White House;[2] bringing Bob Dylan[3] in 2010,[4] and Paul McCartney[5] to the White House in 2011, with Mick Jagger performing in 2012. So far, Delan has worked with presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in making the In Performance at the White House possible. Delan is also an executive producer of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor,[6] presented by the Kennedy Center to notable names in humor and comedy. Delan is also Co-Creator and an Executive Producer of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music, whose first recipient was Paul Simon, in a ceremony at the Warner Theater. He then arranged the relocation of the ceremony to the White House as part of the In Performance at the White House series on PBS, with subsequent honorees Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and Carole King in 2013.[7]

Early life

Delan was born in Manhattan, New York, to attorney and stock broker Daniel Delan, and advertising executive and artist, Stephanie Lord Delan. He has one older brother, Douglas Scott Delan, who works in the educational field.

Delan attended Phillips Exeter Academy[8] alongside subsequent music, film, and television veterans Bobby Shriver, Miles Chapin, Jim Kramer and Benmont Tench (current keyboard player for Tom Petty).[9] Upon early graduation from Exeter, Delan attended Columbia University in New York, making the Dean’s List both semesters. As a sophomore, Delan was recruited to Princeton University[10] as part of an effort to strengthen the English Department student body. During his academic experience at Princeton University, Delan was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa society, and won the Junior English Prize, as well as the Senior Thesis Prize in English. He also was an active journalist, working on the papers of Henry David Thoreau,[11] as the editor of The Nassau Lit, and a writer and critic for The Daily Princetonian.[12] Delan graduated from Princeton University Summa Cum Laude in 1976,[13] the same graduating year as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.[14] Following college, Delan began his career as a staff writer and editor for Time-Life Books, first in Manhattan and then in the Washington D.C. area.[15]

Career in television

Awards

Organization Award Title Year
National Capital/Chesapeake Bay Emmy Awards Outstanding Program Achievement[16] Worldtalk[17] 2003
Columbia Journalism School Dupont Columbia Award[18] Jihad[19] 2006-2007
Columbia Journalism School Dupont Columbia Award[18] Through Deaf Eyes[20] 2006-2007
Peabody Award Peabody Awards[21] Washington Week[22] 2008
The Emmy Award News and Documentary Emmy Awards, Outstanding Science, Technology and Nature Programming[23] The Mysterious Human Heart[24] 2009
The Emmy Award News and Documentary Emmy Awards, Outstanding Informational Programming[25] America at a Crossroads: Operation Homecoming[26] 2009
The Peabody Award Peabody Awards [27] Latino Americans 2013

ABC News

Delan was given his start in television in 1979, working for ABC News in the ABC News Closeup documentary unit[28] under Pamela Hill.[29] There, he helped produce investigative reports with several big names in media, including a film featuring writer and historian William Manchester,[30] and hosts Hugh Downs,[31] Peter Jennings,[32] and Barbara Walters.[33] Titles that Delan worked on include After the Sexual Revolution[34] and Growing Old in America,[35] and Rain of Terror, termed by the Wall Street Journal in an editorial as "the single best piece of television journalism we've ever witnessed."[36]

HBO and Lifetime Television

In 1986, Delan was hired at HBO[37] to help build and serve as an executive producer of the America Undercover documentary series, as well as informational family programming specials. During his time working at HBO, Delan was known for recruiting and shepherding filmmakers such as Alan and Susan Raymond,[38] Jon Alpert[39] and Albert Maysles,[40] and working on programs featuring personalities such as Walter Cronkite[41] and Mary Tyler Moore.[42] Delan was hired by Lifetime Television in 1990[43] to develop a variety of series and specials ranging from game shows and documentaries, to live events and their first primetime nonfiction series, Confessions of Crime,[44] as well as working with acclaimed actors and actresses, such as Glenn Close[45] (on the documentary Broken Hearts, Broken Homes).

The Travel Channel

When Landmark Communications in Norfolk, Virginia, purchased The Travel Channel, Delan was hired in 1992 to help restart and grow the network, based in Atlanta.[46] In addition to bringing in personalities such as Charles Kuralt,[47] he also premiered the long-running series now known as Globe Trekker (originally titled Lonely Planet).

Sundance

In 1996, the founder of the Sundance Film Festival, Robert Redford, approached Delan to be the Creative Director and Executive Vice President of the Sundance Channel[48] —a venture between Redford, Showtime, and Polygram.[28] Working directly with Redford and Festival director Geoffrey Gilmore, Delan produced live broadcasts from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.[49] Delan also worked with filmmakers to develop original films (Marina Zenovich on Independent’s Day and Leslie McCleave on Meeting Marty), as well as prominent actors such as Jon Cryer, Susan Sarandon, and Meg Tilly.

WETA

In November 1998, Delan was hired as the Executive Vice President and Chief Programming Officer of WETA Washington D.C.,[50] the third largest producing station for PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and the flagship public television station in the nation’s capital. At WETA, Delan works with Sharon Percy Rockefeller, wife of John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV, retired senior Senator from West Virginia.[51] Delan collaborated with Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert Kennedy, on an adaptation of her book Speak Truth to Power, which was filmed onstage at the Kennedy Center, with readings by Sigourney Weaver, John Malkovich and a number of distinguished actors.[52] Delan serves as Executive in Charge of Production for WETA on the films of Ken Burns.[53] In 2003, Jerry Nachman, then New York Post editor and editor-in-chief of MSNBC, called Delan "the so-called father of reality TV."[54]

Replacing Ken Bode

In 1999, Ken Bode's contract as moderator on the popular news discussion talk show, “Washington Week in Review” was not renewed.[55] Despite criticism from Bode and his supporters, Delan held his ground in the ensuing media firestorm, and temporarily brought back long-time moderator Paul Duke before naming journalist Gwen Ifill, who is now the current moderator.[56] This move would help create a newly successful Washington Week with Gwen Ifill.[57]

Personal life

While working at ABC News in 1981, Delan met his future wife Stacey Lauren Delan (8/17/1958–present). They married on August 11, 1982. Together, they have two children, Dashiell (10/9/1988–present) and Jesse (9/7/1991–present).

Books

In 2012, Delan wrote a children's book, Christmas Rose, illustrated by Yolanda Prinsloo.[58] Delan wrote the entry on "Bob Dylan cover songs" in "The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything," edited by Mark Reiter and Richard Sandomir.[59] Also, Delan was the Editor of "Positively Prince Street" in 1979.[60]

Selected filmography

Title Year Network Credited as
Growing Old in America 1985 ABC Field Producer
Medal of Honor 2008 PBS Executive Producer
Mark Twain 2001 PBS Executive in Charge of Production
After the Sexual Revolution 1986 ABC Field Producer
People LIke Us: Social Class in America 2002 PBS Executive in Charge
Bioterror: Coping with a New Reality 2002 PBS Executive Producer
The Irish Gala 2001 PBS Executive Producer
The President's Own 2002 PBS Executive Producer
A Concert for America 2002 PBS Executive Producer
Echoes from the White House 2002 PBS Executive Producer
Yeltsin 2000 PBS Executive in Charge of Production
A Force More Powerful: A Century of Non-Violent Conflict 1999 PBS Executive Producer
There Once was a Town 2001 PBS Executive Producer
John Singer Sargent: Outside the Frame 2009 WETA Executive Producer
Speak Truth to Power 2001 PBS Executive Producer
The Americanos Concert 2002 PBS Executive in Charge
Independent's Day 1998 Sundance Channel Executive Producer
Discovered at Sundance 1997 PBS Executive Producer
Dangerous Propositions 1992 Lifetime Executive Producer
Jennifer's in Jail 1992 Lifetime Executive Producer
Shattered Lullabies 1992 Lifetime Executive Producer
Broken Hearts, Broken Homes 1993 Lifetime Executive Producer
How to Prevent a Heart Attack 1990 HBO Executive Producer
Child of Rage: A Storyof Abuse 1990 HBO Executive Producer
Buy Me That! A Kid's Survival Guide to TV Advertising 1990 HBO Executive Producer
Warning: Food May be Hazardous to Your Health 1990 HBO Producer
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip 2004 PBS Executive in Charge of Production
In Performance at the White House 1999-2013 PBS Executive Producer
Jazz 2001 PBS Executive in Charge of Production
Motown Sound 2012 PBS Executive Producer
Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered 2005 PBS Executive Producer
Through Deaf Eyes 2007 PBS Executive Producer
Jihad 2001 PBS Executive Producer
Struggle for the Soul of Islam: Inside Indonesia 2007 PBS Executive Producer
Unforgivable Blackness: Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson 2005 PBS Executive in Charge of Production

References

  1. ↑ "Sieres Premiere Credits: America at a Crossroads". PBS. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Carole King Honored at Library". Library of Congress. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  3. ↑ Associated Press (11 March 2010). "Obamas, Bidens Celebrate Civil Rights Music (PHOTOS, AUDIO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Osterberg, Gayle (21 May 2013). "Library of Congress Honors Carole King at Congressional Luncheon and Live Concert May 21". Library of Congress. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Benac, Nancy (3 June 2011). "Paul McCartney Makes Fun Of George W. Bush, Praises Obama At White House Concert". Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Baseline Studio Systems (2013). "Kennedy Center: Mark Twain Prize -- Celebrating Whoopi Goldberg". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song". Library of Congress. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Rob Dinerman Testimonials". Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "List of Phillips Exeter Academy alumni". Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Princeton Undergraduate Alumni Index, 1921-1979". Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  11. ↑ Sattelmeyer, John C. Broderick, general editor; edited by Robert (1988). "Acknowledgments". Henry D. Thoreau Journal, Volume 2: 1842-1848. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 0691061866.
  12. ↑ Delan, Dalton (18 November 1976). "John Woods' acting brings 'verbal diddlings' to life". The Daily Princetonian. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Mrowka, DeLinda. "Series Premier Credits". PBS. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  14. ↑ Smith, Ben (29 May 2009). "Princeton University holds the key to understanding Sonia Sotomayor". Politico. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  15. ↑ Bailey, Ronald H.; Books, the editors of Time-Life (1977). The home front : U.S.A. Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life. ISBN 0809424789.
  16. ↑ "Nominations 2003". Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  17. ↑ Potthast, John (June 2004). "Local Emmy Award Winners". High Beam Research. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Program Descriptions of 2008 duPont Winners". Colombia News. 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Enger, Jeremy. "Money trails, reservists, gangs of Iraq ..". Current Publishing Committee. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  20. ↑ WETA, Washington DC. "Through Deaf Eyes: Credits". WETA. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  21. ↑ Associated Press (1 April 2009). "Complete list of 2008 Peabody Award winners". USA Today. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "Washington Week with Gwen Ifill: Washington Week - Producers". Public Broadcasting for Greater Washington. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  23. ↑ Shapiro, Neal (23 September 2008). "2008 News and Documentary Emmys". Thirteen. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  24. ↑ Gruben, David. "The Mysterious Human Heart: A Series by David Grubin". WETA. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  25. ↑ "29th ANNUAL NEWS & DOCUMENTARY EMMY AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT NEW YORK CITY GALA". Press Release. The Emmys Press Release. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  26. ↑ "PBS Week-Long National Television Event To Examine War On Terrorism, Conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Experience of American Troops and Schisms Within the Muslim World". PBS. April 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  27. ↑ "Latino Americans PBS". The Peabody Awards. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Gobi, Kim (1 January 1998). "Programming Profile: The Sundance Channel – And the Festival Goes on… Tv". Real Screen. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  29. ↑ "Dalton Delan". Mighty Quinn Management. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  30. ↑ "Reporting America at War Production Credits". WETA. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  31. ↑ "ABC NEWS CLOSE-UP: GROWING OLD IN AMERICA, PT. 2 OF 3: "CRISIS IN HEALTH CARE" (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  32. ↑ Fischer, Theodore (9 October 2012). "Pipeline 2013". Current.org. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  33. ↑ "Makers: Women Who Make America on PBS". TV Guide. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  34. ↑ "After the Sexual Revolution: Credits". New York Times. 30 June 1986. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  35. ↑ "Growing Old in America". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  36. ↑ "ABC's Deadly Evidence". Wall Street Journal Editorial. 18 December 1981.
  37. ↑ Marketos, James (17 September 1986). "76". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  38. ↑ "The Congregation: Questions of Faith in Changing Times (PBS: DVD Video) (A Film by Alan and Susan Raymond As Seen on PBS, DVD)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  39. ↑ White, Thomas (17 July 2008). "PBS Dominates News and Doc Emmy Nods; 'The War' Captures Six Primetime Noms". Documentary.org. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  40. ↑ Cardillo, Lauren (July 2006). "Welcome to Docuwood! The State of Nonfiction Filmmaking in Washington, DC". Documentary.org. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  41. ↑ "Reporting America at War". PBS. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  42. ↑ "The Mark Twain Prize: Celebrating the Humor of Carl Renier". Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  43. ↑ "Programming". American Radio History. 1990. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  44. ↑ Nyerere, Toweri K. Museveni ; edited by Elizabeth Kanyogonya ; foreword by Mwalimu Julius K. (2000). What is Africa's problem? ([Online-Ausg.] ed.). Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press. ISBN 0816632782.
  45. ↑ "Broken Hearts, Broken Homes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  46. ↑ Brenna, Patricia (5 April 2002). "Travelers Find Their Place With The Locals". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  47. ↑ "ON THE ROAD WITH CHARLES KURALT {PINEY WOODS THOREAU; COFFEE CUPS; WHEAT HARVEST; CADILLAC RANCH; NEBRASKA} (TV)". The Paley Center of Media. 1998. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  48. ↑ "New President at Brillstein-Grey". LA Times. 25 June 1996. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  49. ↑ "LDS Film Festival: Day 2". Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  50. ↑ Goodman, Walter (7 March 1999). "Ideas & Trends; PBS: Clinging to a Disappearing Niche". New York Times. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  51. ↑ "Jeffrey Brown betrays Elizabeth Campbell". D2 route. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  52. ↑ "Speak Truth to Power". cps.edu. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  53. ↑ Fischer, Theodore (21 December 2011). "Faith & America’s Founders (w.t.)". Current.org. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  54. ↑ Nachman, Jerry (10 January 2003). "Reality TV now and then". Jewish World Review. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  55. ↑ Matthews, Chris (21 September 2004). ""Somebody Has to Pay" for CBS' Missteps, Prof. Ken Bode Tells MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews". Depauw. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  56. ↑ Shepard, Alicia C. (June 1999). "Not a Black Hat Kind of Guy". American Journalism Review. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  57. ↑ "Ken Bode's Bad "Washington Week"". The Washington Post. 24 February 1999.
  58. ↑ Delan, Dalton (2012). Christmas Rose. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1479203289.
  59. ↑ Reiter, edited by Mark; Holmes, Richard Sandomir; designed by Nigel (2007). The enlightened bracketologist : the Final Four of everything (1st U.S. ed. ed.). New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 159691310X.
  60. ↑ Delan, Dalton (1979). Positively Prince Street. Virginia: Irene Rouse.