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Tom Fontana

Birth Name:
Tom Fontana
Birth Place:
Buffalo, New York, United States
Profession
Producer, Writer
Tom Fontana

Fast Facts

  • Won a Humanitas Prize in the 60 Minute Category for "St․ Elsewhere" in 1985
  • 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
  • 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
  • Started out as a writer and story editor on the TV series "St․ Elsewhere" in 1982
  • 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 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
  • 1984Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Drama Series:Nominated
  • 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:Nominated
  • 1986Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series:Winner
  • 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
  • 1997PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television:Nominated
  • 1998PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television: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 EdgarWinner
  • 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
  • 2025Edgar - Best Television Episode Teleplay:Winner
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