I was saddened to hear of the passing of Diana Kerew, a talented and trailblazing television producer. Kerew, who achieved great success in the male-dominated entertainment industry, served as an inspiration and mentor to many aspiring female producers. She leaves behind a remarkable legacy of more than 60 movies and miniseries that she executive produced for television.
Kerew's journey in the industry began when she worked as a reader for David Susskind's Talent Associates. She made history by becoming the first female producer at the company. Later on, she joined Time-Life Television as an executive producer, where she contributed to the creation of 16 films and miniseries.
Some of Kerew's notable projects included the Emmy-nominated 'Blind Ambition,' featuring Martin Sheen, the Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning 'The Wall,' and 'The Bunker,' which earned Anthony Hopkins an Emmy for his outstanding performance. Kerew's expertise and dedication to her craft shone through in each of these productions.
After a brief stint as executive producer and vice president of television for Highgate Pictures, Kerew established her own production company. She then shifted her focus towards children's programming and worked on several ABC 'Afterschool Specials.' It was during this time that she received two Emmy Awards for Children's Programming for the projects 'Starstruck' and 'Cougar.'
In 1992, Kerew began working at Hearst Entertainment, where she produced more than a dozen television movies for major networks and cable outlets over the span of eight years. Her notable works included 'My Breast,' starring Meredith Baxter, and '15 and Pregnant,' featuring Kirsten Dunst.
In 2000, Kerew joined Alliance Atlantis Entertainment as a producer/executive producer before being named vice president of movies and miniseries. During her tenure, she oversaw the production of more than 30 projects while continuing to produce herself. Notable titles from this period include the Emmy-nominated series 'Hitler: The Rise of Evil' and Jane Anderson's 'When Billie Beat Bobby,' starring Holly Hunter as Billie Jean King.
Kerew joined Sony Television in 2003, where she produced various projects such as 'The Perfect Husband: The Lacy Petersen Story' for USA, 'Surrender, Dorothy' starring Diane Keaton for CBS, and 'The Hunt for the BTK Killer' for CBS. Her final production was 'Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America' for ABC.
In addition to her immense contributions to the entertainment industry, Kerew dedicated her later years to teaching and mentoring students at the University of Texas/Austin UTLA Center of Entertainment and Media Studies in Burbank. She found great fulfillment in sharing her knowledge and experience with aspiring industry professionals.
Throughout her illustrious career, Kerew received numerous accolades, including multiple Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, Christopher Awards, Humanitas Awards, and an NAACP Image Award, among others. These honors are a testament to her remarkable talent and the impact she made on the industry.
Born on October 3, 1942, in Hoboken, New Jersey, Kerew attended the University of California, Berkeley, before graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Boston University. Prior to her success in producing, she worked at Joe Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and Public Theatre, as well as Paramount Pictures New York.
Diana Kerew's contributions to the entertainment industry will always be remembered and cherished. She leaves behind a lasting impact both as a pioneer for women in the industry and as a gifted producer. Rest in peace, Diana. You will be greatly missed.
A memorial service and celebration of Diana Kerew's life will be held on June 21. For more information, please reach out to [email protected]. Donations in her honor can be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund and/or the Actors Fund.
