I was saddened to read about the passing of Gary Smith, the Emmy-winning television producer who redefined the meaning of the “television special,”. One of the most rewarding times in my career as a researcher was my experience at Smith—Hemion Productions in Hollywood.
My exhibition, The DeMille Dynasty had just opened in Los Angeles to fine reviews and a long-time friend, writer Buz Kohan, suggested I meet Gary because his company was making a slight transition in their trademark musical shows and needed a research consultant. The result was 10 years of a fascinating assignments, including The Story Of The Constitution…We The People, The Television Academy Hall Of Fame, The National Literacy Honors (White House), The American Teacher Awards (Pantages Theater, 1993), and the Tony Awards.
It was an advanced course of television production for that era. When Dwight Hemion passed away, Gary ran the company alone, with great success.
Learn how Gary’s remarkable six-decade career shaped the cultural landscape of American television
