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Tom Fontana Biography

Birth Name:Tom Fontana

Birth Place:Buffalo, New York, United States

Profession Producer, Writer

Fast Facts

Won a Richard B․ Jablow Award from the Writers Guild of America in 2009
Won three Writers Guild of America Awards for Episodic Drama, one for "St․ Elsewhere" in 1987 and two for "Homicide: Life on the Street" in 1994 and 1995
Won a Humanitas Prize in the 60 Minute Category for "St․ Elsewhere" in 1985
Started out as a writer and story editor on the TV series "St․ Elsewhere" in 1982
Began writing plays when he was 9 years old, which he would cast with kids in his neighborhood and perform for a reel-to-reel tape recorder
Quote: "Whether it's comedy or drama, tell the truth․ And whatever your truth is, tell it as boldly and as loudly as you can get away with․"
Quote: "(On "St․ Elsewhere"): "We were totally given permission to fail․ It could not have been a better place for me to start in television․""
Quote: "(On why the Catholic faith often appears in drama): "There's a lot of showmanship to the Catholic faith in the sense of the ritual and the demonstration of one's faith․ We're constantly․․․being exposed to these incredible stage performances․""
Best known as the writer and producer of "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "St․ Elsewhere" and as the creator and executive producer of "Oz" and "Copper․"

Awards

1983Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1984Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1984Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1984Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
1984Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1984Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1984Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1984Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: winner
1984WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1985Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: winner
1985Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
1985Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1985Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1985WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1985WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1986Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1986Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: winner
1986Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1986Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
1986WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1987Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1987Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1987Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1987Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
1987WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
1988Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
1988WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1989WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1993Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Drama Series: winner
1994WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
1995WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1995WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
1996Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
1996WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
1997CableACE-Writing a Dramatic Special or Series: nominated
2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
2000WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
2002Peabody Award-Winner: winner
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2005Special Edgar-: winner
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Made for Television Movie: nominated
2012Globe de Cristal-Best Television Film or Television Series (Meilleur téléfilm ou série télévisée): nominated
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
2018PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures: nominated