Perry Francis Lafferty (October 3, 1917 – August 25, 2005) was an American

television producer A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of a television show, television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks, but upon acce ...

and network television executive who produced several television programs, including the CBS programs ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...

'', '' M*A*S*H'', '' Maude'' and ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 ...

''. With

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 ...

, he produced the 1985

television movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

'' An Early Frost'', one of the first dramatic films to deal with the subject of HIV/

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

Early years

Lafferty was born in

Davenport, Iowa Davenport ( ) is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Mississippi River on the eastern border of the state. Davenport had a population of 101,724 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cen ...

on October 3, 1917. He graduated from

Davenport Central High School Central High School, or Davenport Central High School, is a public four-year comprehensive high school located in Davenport, Iowa, United States. The building opened in 1907 as "Davenport High School," and is now one of three public high school ...

in 1935 and was inducted into the school's Hall of Honor in 2009.Wundram, Bill
"3 selected for Central High School Hall of Honor"
'' Quad-City Times'', March 16, 2009. Accessed April 23, 2009. He graduated from the Yale School of Music and was trained in piano. When he was 12 years old, Lafferty began playing piano on Saturdays on radio station WKBF in rock Island, Illinois. During World War II, Lafferty served in the U.S. Army Air Force.

Career

In the early 1940s, Lafferty began working in the radio industry in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

as a director and producer.Staff
"Perry Lafferty, 87, Former TV Producer, Dies"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', September 18, 2005. Accessed April 23, 2009. He was hired by CBS in 1965 as the network's West Coast programming department, leaving in 1976. He was hired by

in 1979 as its senior vice president of West Coast programs and talent, and was later assigned responsibility for the network's movies and mini-series. In that role, he developed and produced the 1985 made-for-television production of '' An Early Frost'', starring Aidan Quinn as a young man who must let his parents, played by Ben Gazzara and

Gena Rowlands Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlands (; June 19, 1930 – August 14, 2024) was an American actress, whose career in film, stage, and television spanned nearly seven decades. She was a four-time Emmy, Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe winner, and ...

, know that he was dying of

. The critically acclaimed film won a

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

and was one of the first network dramatic features to tackle the HIV /AIDS issue. He also worked on such television series as '' Star of the Family'', '' The Danny Kaye Show'', '' Robert Montgomery Presents'', '' Studio One'', and ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural mountainous Western Virginia of the Appalachian Mountains / Allegheny Mountains / Blue Ridge Mountains chain, during the economic hardships and mass unemp ...

''.

Later years

After he retired from working in television, Lafferty became a writer of mystery novels, including ''Jablonski of L.A.'' (1999) and ''The Downing of Flight Six Heavy'' (1992).

Death

Lafferty died at age 87 on August 25, 2005 at his home in Century City, California due to

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

.via ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

''
"TV network executive Perry Lafferty, 87"
''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

''. September 12, 2005. Accessed April 23, 2009. He was interred in

Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary is a cemetery and Morgue, mortuary located in the Westwood, Los Angeles, Westwood area of Los Angeles. It includes a crematory for cremation services. Its location is at 1218 Glendon Av ...

. His 1943 marriage to the former Frances Carden, who had been a radio actress, ended with her death in 1999. Lafferty was survived by a daughter, a son and two grandchildren.

References

External links

Archive of American Television interviewIMDb entry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lafferty, Perry 1917 births 2005 deaths American television producers Deaths from cancer in California Yale School of Music alumni NBC executives CBS executives NBC West Coast Presidents Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery