Best of Wes: Alumni Act In, Produce Popular TV Shows

A number of Wesleyan alumni act in, write, direct, and produce popular TV programs. We’ve compiled a list of those alumni and their shows below, as part of our “Best of Wes” series. (Do you have a favorite that’s not listed? Email your idea to newsletter@wesleyan.edu, and we’ll add it in! You can also view previous “Best of Wes” pieces.)

The alumni and their roles on various TV shows are listed below:

Phillip Abraham ’82, P’20 has directed, produced, or directed the photography of episodes of Most Dangerous Game, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Glow, Orange Is the New Black, Daredevil, Ozark, Bates Motel, The Defenders, The Path, Mad Men, Weeds, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and Castle Rock.

Jay Abramowitz ’76 wrote and produced Valerie’s Family, Full House, Mr. Belvedere and other television comedies. He was head writer on the animated PBS series Liberty’s Kids, an account of the American Revolution that blended fact, fiction and comedy and featured Dustin Hoffman, Annette Bening and Walter Cronkite. Some of Abramowitz’s short stories are posted on HollywoodDementia.com. His first novel Formerly Cool was published last year.

Sasha Alpert ’82, P’20 produced episodes of Project Runway, Born this Way, Under the Gunn, Bad Girls Club, After the Runway, and The Real World. She served as a casting director for Born This Way, Murder, The Rebel Billionaire: Branson’s Quest for the Best, The Real World, The Simple Life, and Lost.

Miguel Arteta ’89 directed episodes of Room 104, Forever, Succession, Famous in Love, Getting On, Grace and Frankie, Nurse Jackie, The New Normal, Ugly Betty, The Office, Six Feet Under, Cracking Up, and Freaks and Geeks. He’s also produced episodes of Duck Butter, Getting On, and Enlightened.

Michele Barnwell ’89 produced the documentary series Flint Town, My Teen is Pregnant and So Am I, America’s Next Top Model, Tiny & Toya, and others.

Michael Bay ’86 produced episodes of The Purge, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Last Ship, Horror at the Cecil Hotel, Black Sails, and Billion Dollar Wreck.

Carter Bays ’97 is the co-creator, co-writer, and co-producer of How I Met Your Mother. He also wrote for the Late Show With David Letterman, American Dad!, Quintuplets, Oliver Beene, and others.

Jordan Belfi ’00 has acting roles in Entourage, All American, 9-1-1, The Rookie, Chicago Fire, Code Black, Chicago Justice, Major Crimes, Mr. Hollywood, Scandal, NCIS: Los Angeles, Burn Notice, Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Charlie’s Angels, Hawaii Five-O, Ghost Whisperer, and CSI: Miami.

Bill Boulware ’71 has served as the consulting producer of the BET comedy Reed Between the Lines. He has also been an executive producer for the UPN comedy One on One and The Parkers. He has served as a producer/writer for many sit-coms including The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, In the House, Here and Now, Claude’s Crib, and New Attitude. He co-created the NBC hit, 227 and began his network experience as a staff writer on Benson. In addition, he has written freelance scripts for The Cosby Show, The Dabney Coleman Show, and The Mayor.

Samantha Corbin-Miller ’93 was the executive producer or writer for episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Conviction, Crossing Jordan, Cold Case, ER, The Practice, and H-Town.

Jennifer Crittenden ’92 has produced and/or written episodes of Veep, Divorce, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Arrested Development, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Drew Carey Show, and Seinfeld.

Ed Decter ’79 has spent the last 35 years writing and creating television shows such as Shadowhunters, Chicago Sons, Odd Man Out, The Closer, and has executive produced 14 series. He’s currently writing a dark crime series for FX that he created. “Wesleyan alumnae Kate Purdy, brilliant award winning writer of Bojack Horseman and Liz Garcia writer of Memphis Beat both started as my assistants, continuing the Wesleyan connection,” he added.

Emmy Award-winning actress Dana Delany ’78 stars in the television shows China Beach, Desperate Housewives, and Body of Proof.

Jan Eliasberg ’74, P’19 directed episodes of Gone, Bull, Nashville, NCIS: Los Angeles, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, Supernatural, Dawson’s Creek, Sisters, and Conviction.

Jennifer Flackett ’86 is the co-creator and Abe Forman-Greenwald ’98 is a producer on the Netflix animated series Big Mouth.

Liz W. Garcia ’99 produced and wrote episodes for The Sinner, Memphis Beat, Cold Case, Wonderfalls, and Dawson’s Creek.

Willie Garson (William Paszamant) ’85 has acted in more than 300 episodes of television series including Hawaii Five-O, Supergirl, Magnum P.I., White Collar, Two and a Half Men, CSI: Miami, Stargate SG-1, Sex and the City, The X-Files, Nash Bridges, Friends, and Star Trek: Voyager. 

David Goodman ’95 served as the executive producer, consulting producer, and writer of Amazing Stories, Emergence, Once Upon a Time, Fringe, and The Event.

Eleo Hensleigh ’80 is the former senior vice president of marketing and communications for the Travel Channel, the chief marketing officer at ION Media Networks, and the chief marketing officer of brand strategy and marketing with Disney ABC Television Group.

Beanie Feldstein ’15 acted in American Crime Story, Grey’s Anatomy, What We Do in the Shadows, and The Simpsons.

Stephen Friedman ’91 is the former president of MTV.

Evan Katz ’83 was the executive producer and writer for 24: Legacy, Body of Proof, Awake, The Event, 24, Special Unit 2, and JAG.

David Kendall ’79, P’16 served as the executive producer of Growing Pains, Boy Meets World, The Wonderful World of Disney, Family Affair, and Melissa & Joey. He directed and wrote episodes of Coop and Cami Ask the World, Henry Danger, Game Shakers, Hannah Montana, Boy Meets World, and Clerks.

David Kohan ’86, P’17 is co-creator and executive producer of Will and Grace and Good Morning, Miami, among others. He also was a writer for The Wonder Years.

Alex Kurtzman ’95 wrote and produced episodes of Sleepy Hollow, Scorpion, Hawaii Five-O, Locke & Key, Xena: Warrior Princess, Alias, Fringe, Transformers Prime, Limitless, Instinct, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Short Treks, and Star Trek: Picard. 

Jeffrey Lane ’76 was the executive producer and writer for Mad About You, Bette, and the 42nd Annual Tony Awards TV special.

Jim Margolis ’93 was the producer or writer of the TV series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Veep, Newsreaders, Almost Royal, and the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Lawrence Mark ’71 directed Mind Set Go, Tricked, Emergency, The Liquidator, Property Brothers, and In Real Life.

Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02, Hon ’15 has made acting appearances in Modern Family, BoJack Horseman, Saturday Night Live, Ducktales, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sesame Street, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and House.

Matthew Penn ’80, P’15 was the producer or director of Law & Order, Big Apple, Orange Is the New Black, House, Blue Bloods, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, and New Amsterdam.

Zak Penn ’90, P’23 is the co-creator of the series Alphas.

Kate Purdy ’01 wrote episodes of BoJack Horseman and Cougar Town. She’s also the creator and writer of the current animated series Undone.

Matt Senreich ’96 is the executive producer of Robot Chicken, SuperMansion, Hot Streets, The Grand Slams, The Simpsons, and Lego Scooby-Doo.

Dan Shotz ’99 produced episodes of See, Common Law, Black Sails, Harper’s Island, Countdown, and Jericho.

Jenno Topping ’89 has served as the executive producer of Truth Be Told, P-Valley, and See.

Craig Thomas ’97 is the co-creator, co-writer, and co-producer of How I Met Your Mother and creator of The Goodwin Games. He also wrote for American Dad!, Quintuplets, Method & Red, Da Ali G Show, and Oliver Beene.

Jon Turteltaub ’85 is the producer of the television dramas Jericho, Harper’s Island, Common Law, and The Thousand Year Journey.

Daisy von Scherler Mayer ’88 directed episodes of Bosch, The Walking Dead, A Million Little Things, Whiskey Cavalier, For the People, Chicago Med, Ray Donovan, House of Lies, Orange is the New Black, Mad Men, and Nurse Jackie.

Matthew Weiner ’87, P’18, ’23 is an Emmy Award-winning creator, writer, and executive producer of Mad Men and The Romanoffs.

D.B. Weiss ’93 was the executive producer and writer of Game of Thrones. He’s also had acting roles in Game of Thrones, Westworld, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Paul Weitz ’88 was the executive producer for episodes of Mozart in the Jungle, Cracking Up, Lone Star, Off Centre, and Fantasy Island.

Joss Whedon ’87, Hon’13 was the creator, producer, director, and writer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Dollhouse, Angel, and more. His new sci-fi show, The Nevers, will premiere in 2021.

Mike White ’92 produced and wrote episodes for the School of Rock TV series, Enlightened, and Cracking Up.

Bradley Whitford ’81 is an Emmy Award-winning actor known for his roles in The West Wing, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Perfect Harmony, The Handmaid’s Tale, Infinity Train, Tangled: The Series, and Transparent.

Bill Wolkoff ’95 has written episodes of Once Upon a Time, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, TRON: Uprising, and Star Wars Rebels.

Frank Wood ’83 is a Tony Award-winning actor and has appeared in episodes of Prodigal Son, The Blacklist, Mozart in the Jungle, The Knick, and Girls.

Bill Wrubel ’85 was a writer and producer for Modern Family, Ugly Betty, and Will & Grace.

John Yang ’80 is a Peabody Award-winning news correspondent on NBC.