Mark Burnett

Mark Burnett
Burnett in 2009
Born	(1960-07-17) 17 July 1960 London, England
Occupation	Television producer, executive producer, author
Religion	Christian[1]
Spouse(s)	Roma Downey (m. 2007) Dianne J. Burnett (née Valentine) (ca. 1991–2003; divorced); two sons
Children	James and Cameron Burnett Reilly Anspaugh (stepdaughter)

Mark Burnett (born 17 July 1960) is a British-born television producer based in Los Angeles and is currently the President of MGM Television and Digital Group.

Burnett is currently the executive producer of 10 network television series. He has won eight Emmy Awards, four Producers Guild of America Awards, five Critics' Choice Television Awards, and six People's Choice Awards.^[2] His current network series airing or in production are Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, Shark Tank, Beyond the Tank, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, 500 Questions, America's Greatest Makers and the People's Choice Awards. In addition to these network shows, Burnett has also produced numerous cable series including On the Menu, Women of the Bible, Lucha Underground, and Answered Prayers. In 2013, TV Guide Magazine named Burnett its "Producer of the Year". In 2014, The Hollywood Reporter named Burnett No. 1 on the Top 50 Reality Players in 2014.^[3] In 2015, Burnett was named No. 1 on the Reality TV Power List: 30 Most Powerful Sellers of 2015 in The Hollywood Reporter.^[4]

In 2013, Burnett produced The Bible series that brought in around 100 million viewers, which ended up being the most-watched cable miniseries of the year. He produced the follow up series A.D. The Bible Continues, which premiered in Spring 2015. In 2014, Burnett produced the feature film Son of God and is now producing another, Ben-Hur, with MGM & Paramount for a 2016 release.

Additionally he has authored four books, including the autobiographical self-help book Jump In! in 2005.

Early life

Mark Burnett was born on 17 July 1960 in London, the only child of Archie and Jean Burnett, both Ford Motors factory workers,^[5] and was raised in Dagenham, Essex. His father was a Roman Catholic and his mother was a Presbyterian, although it is not known in which denomination he was raised.^[6] Aged 17, he enlisted in the British Army, and became a Section Commander in the Parachute Regiment. From 1978–82 he served with the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in C Company and saw action during the Falklands War.^[5] He has been a naturalized United States citizen since 1990, according to some reports.

Early career

In October 1982, Burnett decided to emigrate to the United States, where he met up with a friend, Nick Hill, who had emigrated from the UK several years earlier and was working as a nanny and chauffeur. Hill knew of an open position for a live-in nanny position with the Jaeger family in affluent Beverly Hills. Despite having no experience as a nanny, Burnett went on the interview. The Jaegers, realizing the advantage of having a nanny and security at the same time, hired him. After a year of working for the Jaegers, he moved on to another family in the beach city of Malibu, also in California, taking care of two boys for $250 a week. He was eventually given a position in the insurance office owned by Burt, the father of the two boys. Two years later, he decided to rent a portion of a fence at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, and sell T-shirts for $18 each during weekends. Realizing he made more money selling T-shirts, he left his insurance job.^[7] In 1991, Burnett, along with four others, joined a French adventure competition called the Raid Gauloises. After competing, Burnett saw a business opportunity in holding similar competitions. He purchased the format rights and brought a similar competition, Eco-Challenge, to America. Eco-Challenge launched Burnett's career as a television producer.^[5]

Productions

Burnett is best known for producing the hit reality show Survivor, which premiered in the summer of 2000 and was the most watched summer series since Sonny and Cher.^[8] Survivor was named the Number 1 reality series of all time by Entertainment Weekly in 2009.^[9]

Burnett has produced several other television franchises including: The Apprentice, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Shark Tank, and The Voice.^[10] He has maintained a strong presence in award show franchises, having produced the MTV Movie Awards (2007–2011), the annual People's Choice Awards (2010–present), the Spike Video Game Awards and the 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards.

Burnett has produced more than 2,900 hours of television programming which regularly airs in more than 70 countries.^[11] Past shows include Bully Beatdown, Combat Missions, The Contender, The Contender Asia, Expedition Africa, Expedition Impossible, How'd You Get So Rich?, Martha Stewart, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, On the Lot (a collaboration with Steven Spielberg), The Restaurant, Rock Star, Sarah Palin's Alaska, Stars Earn Stripes, Starmaker, Toughest Cowboy, and Wedding Day.

As well as his ongoing productions, Burnett and his wife, actress Roma Downey, produced The Bible, a 10-hour History Channel drama based upon stories of the Bible.^[12] The Bible became the No. 1 new series on cable TV in 2013^[13] and was the No. 1 series in Canada, Spain, and Portugal.^[14] In total, with subsequent airings, The Bible was seen by more than 100 million viewers.^[15] According to 20th Century Fox, The Bible was the fastest-selling TV title released on home video in the past five years and the top miniseries title ever during its first week of sale.^[16]

After the success of The Bible, Burnett and Downey started developing more faith-based scripted series. A.D. The Bible Continues premiered on NBC on Easter Sunday 2015, and The Dovekeepers miniseries aired on CBS in Spring 2015. In addition to these, Burnett has additional scripted projects in development including Faust, a new series for NASCAR, and other untitled series.

In October 2013, NBC announced that it has reached a deal with Burnett and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to produce a television series on which contestants will compete to win a spaceflight aboard SpaceShipTwo. The series will be titled Space Race, although it is currently undeterminable when the show will begin airing.^[17]

In September 2014, MGM acquired a 55 percent interest in One Three Media and LightWorkers Media, both operated by Burnett and his wife. The two companies will be consolidated into a new film and television company, United Artists Media Group. Burnett is UAMG's CEO and Downey is president of LightWorkers Media.^[18]

In December 2015, Burnett was named president of MGM Television and Digital Group, signing a five-year deal. Burnett’s appointment was set up to occur simultaneously with the closing of MGM’s acquisition of the remaining 45 percent of Hearst’s, Burnett’s and Roma Downey‘s interests in United Artists Media Group (UAMG), which will be absorbed under the MGM Television Group umbrella. MGM Television will now have numerous unscripted and scripted television shows airing on network and cable or in production including: The Voice (NBC); Survivor (CBS); Shark Tank (ABC); Beyond the Tank (ABC); Celebrity Apprentice (NBC); Fargo (FX);Vikings (HISTORY); Teen Wolf (MTV); 500 Questions (ABC); The People’s Choice Awards (CBS); Lucha Underground (El Rey Network) and America’s Greatest Makers (INTEL/Turner).^[19]

Personal life

In January 2004, Burnett began dating Downey. In November 2006, while the two were vacationing with their children in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, he proposed to her.^[20] They wed on 28 April 2007 in their Malibu home. The ceremony was officiated by Downey's former co star, Della Reese.^[21]

Both Burnett and Downey produced The Bible miniseries and are now co-owners of United Artists Media Group together with MGM and Hearst. In addition to their producing projects, the couple is heavily involved with philanthropic organizations Operation Smile and Compassion. In 2014, they announced a fundraising plan called Cradle of Christianity that aims to raise $25 million to help Iraqi and Syrian Christians and other minorities displaced by ISIL survive the upcoming winter.^[22]

Burnett was previously married to Dianne J. Burnett (née Valentine); they have two sons, James and Cameron.^[23] The couple filed for legal separation in September 2002 and a judgment for legal separation was granted in December 2003.^[23][24] They later divorced.

Awards, honours and affiliations

In 2004, Time called Burnett one of the Most Influential People in the World Today.^[25] Burnett was also named "Philanthropist of the Year" by the Reality Cares Foundation. He has won both Brandweek's "Marketer of the Year Award", the prestigious Rose d’Or Frapa Format Award, the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award and the Norman Lear Award from the Producers Guild of America.

Burnett served for two years on the Board of Directors for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.^[26] In November 2007, Burnett was elected into the Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame and in 2008, it was announced that he would be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On 8 July 2009, Burnett received a star at 6664 Hollywood Blvd.^[27] In June 2011, Burnett was elected into the Producers Guild of America Council Board of Delegates and currently serves on the Producers Council. He is an ambassador for Operation Smile.

In 2013, the ten-hour mini-series The Bible received the Parents Television Council 2013 Seal of Approval. Shark Tank, The Voice, and Survivor were all nominated for Critics Choice Awards, at which the Voice won for Best Reality Series - Competition.^[28] The three shows were nominated for the Television Critics Association Awards, at which 'Shark Tank won for Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming.^[29]

In 2013, The Voice, Shark Tank and The Bible were nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards; "The Voice" won for Outstanding Reality – Competition Program. "The Voice" and "Shark Tank" were nominated at the 2015 Critics’ Choice Television Awards, at which "Shark Tank" won for Best Reality Series.

In 2014, Burnett and his wife Roma Downey were recipients of the Anti-Defamation League’s Entertainment Industry Award.

Awards

Special Awards

• 2004: Brandweek Marketer of the Year Award
• 2004: Reality Cares Foundation 'Philanthropist of the Year'^[30]
• 2004: 'Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award'
• 2004: Time Magazine: 'Time 100: 100 Most Influential People in the World Today'
• 2005: Rose d’Or Frapa Format Award
• 2009: Producers Guild of America 'Norman Lear Award'^[31]
• 2009: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star: 'Excellence in Television'^[32]
• 2010: Producers Guild of America 'Lifetime Achievement Award in Television'
• 2013: TV Guide Magazine 'Producer of the Year'
• 2013: The Dove Foundation Recognition of 'Son of God'
• 2014: Anti-Defamation League 'Entertainment Award'

Nominations and wins

Published works

• Mark Burnett (2001). Dare to Succeed:How to Survive and Thrive in the Game of Life. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-6849-X. 

• Mark Burnett (2005). Jump In!: Even If You Don't Know How to Swim. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-345-48098-8. 

See also

• List of television producers

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Burnett.

• Mark Burnett at the Internet Movie Database
• Mark Burnett interview video at the Archive of American Television
• SWINDLE Magazine Interview with Mark Burnett

The Voice Main franchise Americas Argentina Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Mexico Peru United States Asia-Pacific Arab World Australia Cambodia China Mandarin Uyghur India Indonesia Israel Philippines South Korea Thailand Vietnam Europe Netherlands (original) Albania and Kosovo Armenia Azerbaijan Belgium Dutch French Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic and Slovakia Denmark Finland France Georgia Germany Greece and Cyprus Ireland Italy Lithuania Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Spain Sweden Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Locations of versions of The Voice and The Voice Kids Kids franchise Americas Brazil Asia-Pacific Australia Philippines Vietnam Europe Netherlands (original) Greece and Cyprus