Television Program Creators

A television show creator or television program creator is the person who developed a significant part of a TV show's format, concept, characters, and pilot script. They have sequel rights to the material as well.

Often, the creator is also the showrunner or a producer. Sometimes it is a writer of the series bible, or writers' guidelines. In the United States, a Writers Guild of America (WGA) screenwriting credit system governs credits. For example, the Writers Guild of America West provides specifications for creator credits that govern its members. The Producers Guild of America's corresponding code for producers defines "Executive Producer" and similar roles but not an explicit "Creator" role.

Creator is a specific credit given explicitly in many shows. However, it has not always been a prominent, explicit credit. For example, Sydney Newman, the accepted creator of ''The Avengers'' (1961–69), was never given an explicit credit as creator; Newman never thought to ask for one. The creator of a television show may retain rights to participate in profits, often to be paid by the production company as a percentage of fees that it receives from networks and distributors. In 2014, for prime-time network TV shows, the WGA-required royalty to be paid to a writer with "created by" credit is approximately $1,000 per episode or higher.
Who merits creator credit is sometimes a matter of contention. In a 2013 legal case, a director sued a former writing partner for co-creator credit.

Examples

Notable examples of creators include:
* Natasha Allegri, created the web series ''Bee and Puppycat'' turned into a TV series on Netflix.
* Paul Abbott, created '' Shameless'', and is also responsible for the creation of '' Reckless'' and ''Touching Evil'' for ITV, as well as ''Clocking Off'' and '' State of Play'' for the BBC.
* J. J. Abrams, co-created '' Felicity'' (1998–2002), created '' Alias'' (2001–2006), co-created '' Lost'' (2004–2010), ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), '' Undercovers'' (2010)
* Britt Allcroft created the children's television series ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' (later re-titled ''Thomas & Friends''), ''Shining Time Station'' (with Rick Siggelkow) and ''Magic Adventures of Mumfie''
* Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson, co-creators of '' Thunderbirds'' (1965–66); Gerry Anderson also created ''Supercar'' (1961–62)
* Danny Antonucci, created ''The Brothers Grunt'', ''Cartoon Sushi'', and ''Ed, Edd n Eddy''
* Meredith Averill, creator and executive producer of The CW science fiction teen drama ''Star-Crossed''.
* Craig Bartlett, created ''Hey Arnold!'', ''Dinosaur Train'' and ''Ready Jet Go!''.
* Ben Bocquelet, created ''The Amazing World of Gumball''.
* Donald P. Bellisario, co-created ''Magnum, P.I.'', created ''Airwolf'', created ''Quantum Leap'', created '' JAG'', co-created ''NCIS''.
* Maxwell Atoms, created ''Grim & Evil'', ''The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy'', and ''Evil Con Carne''.
* Rick Berman, co-created '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' with Michael Piller, co-created '' Star Trek: Voyager'' with Piller and Jeri Taylor, co-created ''Enterprise'' (retitled ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' in 2003) with Brannon Braga.
* Loren Bouchard, co-created ''Home Movies'' (with Brendon Small), and created ''Bob's Burgers'' and '' Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil'' and co-created ''Central Park''
* Ian Brennan, co-creator with Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk of ''Glee''
* Marc Brown, created TV series ''Arthur''
* Jamie Brittain, co-creator with Bryan Elsley of British teen drama '' Skins'' (2007–2013)
* Johnny Byrne, created '' Heartbeat'' and '' Noah's Ark'' (1997–98)
* Stephen J. Cannell, co-created ''The Rockford Files'', created ''Baretta'', created ''The Greatest American Hero'', co-created ''The A-Team'', co-created ''Hardcastle and McCormick'', created ''Stingray'', co-created '' Wiseguy'', co-created ''21 Jump Street'', created ''Silk Stalkings'', co-created ''The Commish'', created ''Renegade''.
* Gábor Csupó, created ''Rugrats'', ''Aaahh!!! Real Monsters'', '' Santo Bugito'', ''The Wild Thornberrys'', ''Rocket Power'', ''All Grown Up!'', and ''Rugrats Pre-School Daze''.
*Michael Schur, co-created '' Parks and Recreation'', ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'', created ''The Good Place''.
* Mitch Schauer, created ''The Angry Beavers''.
* David Crane, co-created ''Friends'' (with Marta Kauffman), co-created '' The Class'' with Jeffrey Klarik, and co-created ''Episodes'' for the BBC.
* Keith Chapman, created ''Bob the Builder'', ''Fifi and the Flowertots'', and ''Paw Patrol''.
* Greg Daniels, co-created ''King of the Hill'', developed ''The Office'', co-created '' Parks and Recreation'', created ''Upload'', and co-created ''Space Force''.
* John A. Davis, created '' The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius''
* Terrance Dicks, co-created the BBC science-fiction TV series ''Moonbase 3'' (1973)
* C. H. Greenblatt, created ''Chowder'', ''Harvey Beaks'', and ''Jellystone!''.
* John R. Dilworth, created ''Courage the Cowardly Dog''
* David Feiss, created ''Cow and Chicken'', ''I Am Weasel'' and '' YooHoo & Friends''.
* Bryan Elsley, created ''Dates'' (2013–) and co-created the British teen drama Skins (2007–2013) with Jamie Brittain
* Brad Falchuk, co-creator with Murphy of ''American Horror Story'', co-creator with Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy of ''Glee''
* Phil Ford, co-creator with Russell T Davies of ''Wizards vs Aliens''
* C. H. Greenblatt, created ''Chowder'', ''Harvey Beaks'', and ''Jellystone!''.
* Jorge Gutierrez, created '' El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera'' and ''Maya and the Three''.
* Bruce Geller, created the television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–73)
* Chris Gifford, created ''Dora the Explorer'', Go, Diego, Go! and '' Dora and Friends: Into the City''
* Vince Gilligan, created ''Breaking Bad'' and co-created ''Better Call Saul''
* Bryan Elsley, created ''Dates'' (2013–) and co-created the British teen drama Skins (2007–2013) with Jamie Brittain
* David Greenwalt, co-created ''Angel'', co-created ''Profit'', and co-created NBC drama ''Grimm''
* David E. Kelley, created ''Picket Fences'', ''Chicago Hope'', ''The Practice'', ''Ally McBeal'', ''Boston Public'', ''Boston Legal'', and ''Harry's Law''
* Matt Groening, created ''The Simpsons'', ''Futurama'' and ''Disenchantment''.
* Stephen Hillenburg, created ''SpongeBob SquarePants''.
* Susan Harris, created ''Soap'', '' Benson'', ''The Golden Girls'', ''Empty Nest'', ''Nurses'' and ''The Golden Palace''.
* Chris Kratt and Martin Kratt, co-created the children's TV series ''Kratts' Creatures'', ''Zoboomafoo'', ''Be the Creature'', and ''Wild Kratts''
* Jeffrey Klarik, co-created ''Episodes'' and co-created '' The Class'' with David Crane
* Glen A. Larson, created ''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'', created ''Battlestar Galactica'', co-created ''B. J. and the Bear'', created ''Galactica 1980'', co-created ''Magnum, P.I.'', created ''The Fall Guy'', created ''Knight Rider'', created ''Automan''.
* Norman Lear, created ''All in the Family'', ''The Jeffersons'', ''Sanford and Son'', '' One Day at a Time'', '' Maude'' and ''Good Times''
* Butch Hartman, created ''The Fairly OddParents'', ''Danny Phantom'', '' T.U.F.F. Puppy'', '' Bunsen Is a Beast''
* Mike Judge, created ''Beavis and Butt-Head'', and co-created ''King of the Hill'', ''The Goode Family'', ''Silicon Valley'', and '' Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus''
* Emily Kapnek, created ''As Told by Ginger'', ''Suburgatory'', and ''Selfie''
* Roberta Leigh, created puppet TV series '' Sara and Hoppity'', ''Torchy the Battery Boy'', ''Wonder Boy and Tiger'' and ''Send for Dithers'', as well as created '' Space Patrol'', (American title: ''Planet Patrol'')
* Steven Levitan, co-creator with Christopher Lloyd of ''Modern Family''
* Christopher Lloyd, co-creator with Steven Levitan of ''Modern Family''
* Craig McCracken, created ''The Powerpuff Girls'', ''Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'', ''Wander Over Yonder'', ''Kid Cosmic''
* Patrick McGoohan, creator or co-creator of ''The Prisoner''
* Carol Mendelsohn, co-creator and executive producer of '' CSI: Miami'' and '' CSI: NY''
* Lorne Michaels, best known for creating and producing ''Saturday Night Live''
* Ryan Murphy, co-created ''Glee'' (with Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk) and co-created ''American Horror Story''
* Joe Murray, created ''Rocko's Modern Life'', ''Camp Lazlo'', ''Let's Go Luna''
* Mic Neumann created ''Kung Faux''
* Sydney Newman, created ''The Avengers'' and Doctor Who
* Jonathan Nolan, created ''Person of Interest''
* Steve Oedekerk, created ''Back at the Barnyard'' and co-created ''Planet Sheen''
* Van Partible, created ''Johnny Bravo''.
* Michael Piller, co-created '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and of '' Star Trek: Voyager''
* J. G. Quintel, created ''Regular Show'' and ''Close Enough''
* Paul Reiser, co-created ''Mad About You'' (1992–99)
* Rob Renzetti, created ''My Life as a Teenage Robot''
* Shonda Rhimes, created ''Grey's Anatomy'', '' Private Practice'', and ''Scandal''
* Sol Saks, most known as created ''Bewitched'' (1964–72)
* Chris Savino, created ''The Loud House''.
* Adi Shankar, created '' The Guardians of Justice''.
* Sidney Sheldon, created ''The Patty Duke Show'' (1963–66), ''I Dream of Jeannie'' (1965–70) and ''Hart to Hart'' (1979–84)
* Mr. Warburton, created '' Codename: Kids Next Door''.
* Jhonen Vasquez, created ''Invader Zim''
* Genndy Tartakovsky, created ''Dexter's Laboratory'' and ''Samurai Jack'', developed '' Star Wars: Clone Wars'', co-created ''Sym-Bionic Titan'' and created '' Primal''
* Pendleton Ward, created ''Adventure Time'', ''Bravest Warriors'' and '' The Midnight Gospel''.
* Alex Hirsch, created ''Gravity Falls''
* D. B. Weiss and David Benioff, co-created ''Game of Thrones'' (2011)
* Joss Whedon, created ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997–2003), ''Angel'' (1999–2004), ''Firefly'' (2002–03), '' Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'' (2008), ''Dollhouse'' (2009–10) and ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (2013–2020).
* Tom Wheeler, created '' The Cape'' (2011)
* Toby Whithouse, created '' Being Human''
* Dick Wolf, created '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'', '' Law & Order: Trial by Jury'', '' Law & Order: LA'', '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' and '' Law & Order: UK''., and created ''Crime & Punishment''
* Justin Zackham, created FX drama series '' Lights Out''
* Anthony E. Zuiker, created the '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' franchise of several TV series,

See also

* Showrunner

References

{{TV production

Television terminology
Mass media occupations
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Lists of people by filmmaking occupation