Mort Abrahams
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Mort Abrahams (born 1916 - died 28 May, 2009) was an American film and television producer.
Among his credits are nine episodes of spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and, as associate producer, Doctor Dolittle (1967), Planet of the Apes (1968), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), co-writing the story of the latter.
He later worked as producer-in-residence for the Center for Advanced Film and Television at the AFI, serving from 1989 to 1994.
As a producer at Music Corporation of America in the 1950s, Abrahams was an exec producer on early TV shows including "Suspicion," "Kraft Suspense Theatre" and "G.E. Theatre," hosted by Ronald Reagan.
For Herbert B. Leonard Prods. and ABC, he produced the on-the-road adventure "Route 66" in 1962-63 and the spy-themed "U.N.C.L.E." in 1964-65.
Abrahams left for Arthur Jacobs' APJAC Prods. in 1966 for a job as executive vp to handle production and/or writing chores on films such as "Doctor Dolittle" (1967), "Planet of the Apes" (1968), "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969), "The Chairman" (1969) starring Gregory Peck and "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (1970).
From 1969-71, he was vp in charge of production at Ray Stark's Rastar Prods., which during his tenure produced 1970's "The Owl and the Pussycat."
Abrahams joined the American Film Theatre company in 1972 as an executive, and he closed production on eight films -- including John Frankenheimer's "Iceman" and the Katharine Hepburn-starring "A Delicate Balance" -- in a span of 10 months.
In the 1980s, Abrahams worked on telefilms including "Separate Tables" starring Julie Christie and "The Arch of Triumph" starring Anthony Hopkins. He worked as vp production in 1986 for World Media Prods.
Among his survivors is his daughter, Marjie Abrahams of RSA Films.
