First ‘Entertainment Tonight’ Producer Andy Friendly Dies at 74

Veteran TV exec and Emmy-nominated producer Andy Friendly died Sunday, Jan. 4, at his home in Bel-Air, according to his family. Friendly was 74.

Friendly, the son of legendary journalist Fred Friendly and brother of producer David Friendly, began his career as a writer and producer at NBC News in New York, later becoming a producer of Tom Synder’s “Tomorrow” late night talk show on the network.

From there, Friendly helped create long-running entertainment news magazine “Entertainment Tonight” as the first producer of the strip series in 1981. Later, Friendly was VP of primetime programs at CNBC, overseeing talk shows hosted by Snyder, Tim Russert, Geraldo Rivera, Tom Snyder and other prominent journalists and talk-show hosts.

His boss at the time was David Zaslav, now CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery.

“Andy was a brilliant producer and an exceptional leader who helped define CNBC during a pivotal period of growth and creativity,” Zaslav said. “He had an extraordinary ability to spot talent, nurture ideas, and bring out the very best in the people around him. But beyond his professional accomplishments, Andy was a special person and a dear and loyal friend. He led with generosity, humor and heart, and he cared very deeply about people. Andy made everyone feel valued, and his unique kindness and integrity will be remembered, just as powerfully as his creative legacy.”

After CNBC, Friendly was president of programming and production at King World Productions. At King World, Friendly handled programming strategy, development and production for first-run syndication at the company, which distributed “Oprah Winfrey,” “Wheel of Fortune” and other series.

Friendly was also a busy member of the TV community as president of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society. He was also an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Friendly served on the Board of Councilors of the USC Shoah Foundation, and on the Board of the Friends of the Saban Community Clinic.

Friendly is survived by his immediate family, sister Lisa Friendly and brothers David Friendly, Richard Mark, Michael Mark, Jon Mark and Ruth Friendly along with many grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is proceded in death by his late wife, Pat Crowley, who died in September. They wed in 1986.