Bill Nuss is a TV writer and producer, who also writes for feature films and Broadway. He is President of Confidential Pictures, a Los Angeles-based production company that supplies primetime series to network, cable and streamers. With the late
Dusty Kay (''
Entourage''), he has written the book for ''
The Honeymooners
''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It f ...
'', a Broadway-bound musical based on the classic
CBS television series.
Nuss has produced, written or created over 300 hours of network primetime series. In addition to ''
Hawaii Five-0'' and ''
NCIS'', he worked with his mentor,
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell (; February 5, 1941 – September 30, 2010) was an American television producer, writer, novelist, actor, and founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and The Cannell Studios.
After start ...
, on Fox's first hit ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'', starring
Johnny Depp
John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Johnny Depp, multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for ...
. Other Cannell series include ''
Renegade'' starring
Lorenzo Lamas
Lorenzo Fernando Lamas (born January 20, 1958) is an American actor and producer. He is widely known for his role of Lance Cumson, the irresponsible grandson of Angela Channing—played by Jane Wyman—in the soap opera ''Falcon Crest'' (1981� ...
, ''
Booker'', ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
'', ''
Riptide'' as well as the NBC TV movie ''
Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.'' starring
Fred Dryer and
Miguel Ferrer
Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955 – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film ''RoboCop''. Other film roles include Harbinger in '' Hot Shots! Part Deux'' (1993), Quigley in '' Blank ...
. He has also written and developed pilots for
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
,
CBS, Fox, and
USA Network
USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
, directed episodic television, and has had cameos in several series.
As an independent producer, Nuss negotiated Side-Letter Agreements with the
Directors Guild of America
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of Film director, film and Television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dir ...
, the
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a trade union, labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a di ...
and
IATSE
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, known as simply the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE or ...
. His company, Confidential Pictures, produced ''
North Shore'' for
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
where he was involved in changing the production rebates in the state of Hawaii. On the creative side of the table, he is a member of the
Writers Guild, the
Directors Guild, the
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
, the
Dramatists Guild
The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. It was born in 1921 out of the Authors Guild, known then as Authors League of America, formed in 1912.
...
, and
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly called Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American trade union, labor union representing those who work in Theatre, live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions w ...
. He is also an active WGA Credits Arbitrator.
Nuss was the creator and Executive Producer of ''
Pacific Blue'',
[Weintraub, Joanne]
"Fans covet 'Pacific Blue' Treks"
''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper and also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely read. It was purchased by the G ...
'', July 23, 1997, p. 8B. Retrieved on May 31, 2013. USA Network
USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
's highest rated drama series during its reign. The series reached one hundred and one episodes and is currently available on Amazon, Tubi, Pluto, Plex, Roku, and on DVD.
An avid tournament poker player, Nuss created and produced ''The Real Deal'', the world's first live interactive poker show, staged at the
Venetian Resort and Casino in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. The show featured poker stars
Doyle Brunson
Doyle Frank Brunson (August 10, 1933 – May 14, 2023) was an American poker player who played professionally for over 60 years. He was a two-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) List of World Series of Poker Main Event champions, Main Event champi ...
,
Phil Hellmuth
Phillip Jerome Hellmuth Jr. (born July 16, 1964) is an American professional poker player who has won a record seventeen World Series of Poker bracelets, the majority in no-limit hold'em. He is the winner of the Main Event of the 1989 World Se ...
,
Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu (; born July 26, 1974) is a Canadian professional poker player who has won seven World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and two World Poker Tour (WPT) championship titles. In 2014, independent poker ranking service Global Poker ...
,
Antonio Esfandiari,
Phil Laak, and
Scotty Nguyen.
As the youngest executive in the history of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
, Nuss worked with legendary programmer
Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff (January 13, 1949 – August 27, 1997) was an American television executive who was head of the entertainment division of NBC from 1981 to 1991. He was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with several ...
, in developing ''
Hill Street Blues
''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the Metropolitan Police Department staff ...
'', ''
Fame'', and ''
St. Elsewhere
''St. Elsewhere'' is an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels as ...
''.
Originally from New York and
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Bill Nuss graduated from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
where he developed the long running (50 years) improvisational comedy review, ''The
Mee-Ow Show'' that later spawned many writers, directors and actors including Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Meyers. He was on the Board of Brentwood Country and served as President from 2018 to 2021. Bill is married to Bonnie Geller Nuss and lives in
Brentwood, CA with their two daughters.
Credits
FILM
"Officer Woody, AI"
"Lucky Dog"
"Three Blind Mice"
TV
Writer/producer
* ''The Real Deal'' – Producer –
Venetian,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
(2008)
* ''
North Shore'' – Producer (21 eps) – Confidential/20th/Fox (2004–2005)
* ''
Pacific Blue'' – Creator/Exec. Producer (101 eps) – North Hall Productions/
USA Network
USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
(1995–2002)
* ''
Renegade'' – Exec. Producer (44 eps) –
Cannell/Synd. (1993–1995)
* ''
Return of Hunter'' – Exec. Producer – MOW –
Cannell/
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
(1994)
* ''Greyhounds'' – Exec. Producer – MOW –
Cannell/
CBS (1994)
* ''
The Hat Squad'' – Exec. Producer (12 eps) –
Cannell/
CBS (1993)
* ''
Raven
A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...
'' – Co-Exec. Producer (7 eps) –
Columbia/
CBS (1992)
* ''NYPD Mounted'' – Exec. Producer – MOW –
Orion (1991)
* ''
Booker'' – Exec. Producer (18 eps) –
Cannell/Fox (1989–1990)
* ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'' – Exec. Prod./Supv. Prod./Prod. (81 eps) –
Cannell/Fox (1987–1990)
* ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
'' – Story Editor (28 eps) –
Cannell/
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
(1985–1986)
Writer
=Pilots/MOWs
=
Ace Ballard
Grinders
* ''Shanghai'' –
Fox 21
* ''Gamble'' –
Fox 21
* ''Stevi Faith''
* ''The Fixer'' –
ESPN
ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
* ''Vegas High'' – Fox
* ''
The Return of Hunter'' –
Cannell/
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
* ''Carrick O'Quinn'' –
Cannell/
CBS
=Series
=
* ''
NCIS'' (1) –
CBS Productions/
CBS
* ''
Hawaii Five-0'' (1) –
CBS Productions/
CBS
* ''
Pacific Blue'' (9) – North Hall Productions/
USA Network
USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
* ''
Renegade'' (11) –
Cannell/Synd.
* ''
The Hat Squad'' (2) –
Cannell
* ''
Raven
A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...
'' (2) –
Columbia/
CBS
* ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'' (14) –
Cannell/
FBC
* ''
Booker'' (6) –
Cannell/
FBC
* ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
'' (9) –
Cannell/
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
* ''
Riptide'' –
Cannell/
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
Theatre
* ''The Honeymooners'' – Co-Book Writer
Director
* ''
Renegade''
Actor
* ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American Action television, action television series that ran on NBC from January 23, 1983, to March 8, 1987, about a fictional team of former United States Army Special Forces who work as mercenaries while on the run from ...
''
* ''
Raven
A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...
''
* ''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
Awards
*
NAACP Image Award
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
– (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
* Asian-American Pacific Award – (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
*
NCCJ Imagen Award – (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
* California Governor Media Access Award – (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
* Gold Hugo Award – Chicago Film Festival – (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
* Scott Newman Foundation Award – (''
21 Jump Street
''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired from April 12, 1987 to April 27, 1991, spanning 103 episodes over five s ...
'')
Education
* ''
The Westminster Schools'' –
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 520,070 (2024 estimate) living within the city limits, At ...
* ''
Northwestern University
Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
'' – B.S. –
Evanston, IL
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nuss, Bill
American television writers
American male television writers
Living people
Television producers from New York City
Screenwriters from New York (state)
1954 births