Al Burton, Prolific Television Producer and Executive, Dies at 91

After leaving Lear in 1983, he continued to develop and produce shows independently and for Universal Television, most notably — winning a Daytime Emmy in the process — and Burton's gift for spotting talent helped ignite the careers of Stein, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jimmy Kimmel, Ricky Schroder, Pamela Anderson, George Clooney, Valerie Bertinelli, Nicole Eggert, MacKenzie Phillips and others.

Burton also was the composer and publisher of theme music for several of the shows he produced, observing that "a composer gets a check every time they play your tune!" He sold his first show idea to Los Angeles TV station KLAC and in 1949 became writer, producer and host of Burton followed with a second show, , and by 1956, his teen-focused programs were running on four of the seven L.A. TV stations. He produced an astonishing 500 segments in a four-year period, earning the nickname the "Teen Dean of Television."

A veteran TV director by 1957, Burton was tapped to work with the young host Johnny Carson for the game show . The next year, he helped define the celebrity talk show format, producing and directingThat weekly program featured the composer-author in conversation with famous guests and a piano performance by Levant.

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