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Bill Prady

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Bill Prady
Prady at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017
Personal details
Born
William Scott Prady[1]

(1960-06-07) June 7, 1960 (age 64)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Spouses
  • Kelly Pino
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1982; div. 1984)​
  • Kirith Bernstein
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1997; div. 2016)​
  • Jessica Queller
    ​
    (m. 2021)​
OccupationWriter, television producer
Years active1984–present

William Scott Prady (born June 7, 1960) is an American television writer and producer known for co-creating and producing The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019) and The Muppets (2015–2016). He also served as an executive producer on Dharma & Greg (1997–2002), Good Morning Miami (2003), and Gilmore Girls (1997–2002).

Early life

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Prady was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and attended Wayne State University.[2][3] He dropped out of the university, and moved to New York City where he worked at a RadioShack. During this time, he was involved in the creation of the filePro software for the TRS-80 microcomputer.[4]

Career

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In 1983, Prady was a production assistant for The Jim Henson Company on a proposed television special centering on the world of technology.[5] When the project failed to come to fruition, Prady stayed with the company and worked in the merchandising department. With the encouragement of Jim Henson, Prady began writing on projects including Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series and The Jim Henson Hour (on which he was visually caricatured as the puppet Chip).[6][7] In 1991, Prady received an Emmy-award nomination for co-writing The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson. He wrote the Disney theme park attractions Muppet*Vision 3D and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.[8]

In 1995, Prady joined the writing staff of the HBO series Dream On. In 1997, he joined the writing staff of Dharma & Greg, rising to executive producer and taking over as showrunner in 2001. He also served as a writer and producer on Good Morning, Miami, Caroline in the City, Related, Platypus Man and Gilmore Girls.[5][9]

In 2007, Prady co-created the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, on which he served as executive producer for the show’s 12-season run.[5]

In 2012, Prady joined the University of Southern California as an adjunct faculty member in its cinematic arts school.[10] In April 2015, it was announced that ABC had picked up Prady's pilot presentation for a new version of The Muppet Show with Bob Kushell attached as showrunner.[11]

In January 2020, Prady signed a first-look deal with Netflix to develop scripted series for the streamer. In 2022, he entered a similar agreement with Warner Bros. Television to develop scripted programming under his production company Pine Tree Entertainment.[5][12]

Personal life

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Prady is Jewish and is on the autism spectrum.[13][14]

Prady was one of 135 candidates who ran for Governor of California in the 2003 recall election, receiving 474 votes, tying him for 111th place.[15][16]

In 2010, Prady was given honorary membership in the Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science.[17] In 2013, Prady was awarded NASA's Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.[18] He has served as a trustee of the Humanitas Prize "New Voices" program.[19] In 2022, Prady was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa by Wayne State University.[3]

In 2020, Prady appeared in a small cameo role in Bill & Ted Face the Music.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year(s) Production Role
1993 Billy Bunny's Animal Songs Writer; direct-to-video film
1994 Muppet Classic Theater
1995 Here Come the Munsters Writer; television film[21]
2020 Bill & Ted Face the Music Scientist #1[20]

Television

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Year(s) Production Role
1985–1986 You Can't Do That On Television Writer[9][22]
1987 Fraggle Rock: The Animated Series
1989 The Jim Henson Hour
1990 The Cosby Show
The Magical World of Disney
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson Writer; television special[2]
1991 Married... with Children Writer[2]
The Carol Burnett Show
1995 Platypus Man Writer, episode: "Lower East Side Story"
1994–1996 Dream On Writer, story editor, producer[2]
1995–1997 Caroline in the City Writer, producer[2]
1999 Star Trek: Voyager Writer
1997–2002 Dharma & Greg Writer, executive producer[2][16]
2003 Good Morning, Miami
2004–2005 Gilmore Girls Writer, co-executive producer[9]
2005 Related
2006 Two and a Half Men Writer[9]
2007–2019 The Big Bang Theory Creator, writer, executive producer
2015–2016 The Muppets Creator, executive producer, writer
2017–2021 Young Sheldon Executive consultant, consulting producer

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Program Result
1989 WGA Award Outstanding Achievement: Variety, Musical, Award, Tribute or Special Event Miss Piggy’s Hollywood Won
1990 The Earth Day Special Won
1991 CableACE Award Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming The Presidential Inaugural Celebration for Children Won
1991 WGA Award Outstanding Achievement: Variety, Musical, Award, Tribute or Special Event The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson Won
1991 Emmy Award Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program Nominated
1996 The People's Choice Awards Favorite New Television Comedy Series Caroline in the City Won
1998 Dharma & Greg Won
1998 Golden Globe Award Best Series: Musical or Comedy Nominated
1999 Nominated
1999 WGA Award Outstanding Achievement: Comedy Series Nominated
2009 TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Comedy The Big Bang Theory Won
2009 Satellite Award Best Television Series: Musical or Comedy Nominated
2010 Golden Globe Award Best Series: Musical or Comedy Nominated
2010 The People's Choice Awards Favorite Television Comedy Series Won
2010 TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Nominated
2011 Emmy Award Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2011 The People's Choice Awards Favorite Television Comedy Series Nominated
2011 Producers Guild of America Award Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2011 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Comedy Series Nominated
2012 Satellite Award Best Television Series: Musical or Comedy Won
2012 TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Nominated
2012 Monte-Carlo Television Festival Outstanding International Producer Nominated
2012 Emmy Award Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2012 Producers Guild of America Award Nominated
2012 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Comedy Series Nominated
2012 Golden Globe Award Best Series: Musical or Comedy Nominated
2013 The People's Choice Awards Favorite Television Comedy Series Won
2013 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Comedy Series Won
2013 TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Won
2013 Teen Choice Awards Choice Award: Best Comedy Nominated
2013 Monte-Carlo Television Festival International TV Audience Award Won
2013 Emmy Award Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2013 Golden Globe Award Best Series: Musical or Comedy Nominated
2014 The People's Choice Awards Favorite Television Comedy Series Won
2022 Drama League Award Outstanding Production of a Play Dana H. Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Bill Prady [@billprady] (27 June 2014). "Re: request to solve a Wikipedia problem: My full name is William Scott Prady, and my date of birth is 6/7/60" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Bill Prady". Cranbrook Schools. Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  3. ^ a b "Wayne State University commencement ceremonies celebrate class of 2022". Today@Wayne. 2018-05-15. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  4. ^ Collins, Paul (2009-02-06). "Must-Geek TV". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  5. ^ a b c d Andreeva, Nellie (2020-01-16). "'The Big Bang Theory' Co-Creator Bill Prady Inks First-Look Deal With Netflix". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  6. ^ Huver, Scott (2015-09-22). "'The Big Bang Theory's' Bill Prady Returns to His Roots With 'The Muppets'". CBR. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  7. ^ Adalian, Josef (May 12, 2015). "Everything We Know So Far about the Muppets". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  8. ^ Day, Asteroid (2018-06-04). "Bill Prady". Asteroid Day. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  9. ^ a b c d creativecoalition (2021-02-03). "Bill Prady". The Creative Coalition. Archived from the original on 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  10. ^ "They Wrote Their Love Story While Scripting Others - The New York Times". The New York Times. 2021-11-09. Archived from the original on 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 9, 2012). "'Muppets' Revived at ABC With 'Big Bang Theory' Co-Creator". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  12. ^ Otterson, Joe (2022-06-14). "'Big Bang Theory's' Bill Prady, Chris Sanagustin's Pine Tree Entertainment Sets Warner Bros. TV First-Look Deal". Variety. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  13. ^ "Bill Prady: Origins of Sheldon. Neurodiversity & Sensory Overload". Mayim Bialik's Breakdown. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  14. ^ "The Influence of Jewish Characters in Seinfeld and Israel | Bartleby". Archived from the original on 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
  15. ^ "Special Election - Statement of the Vote" (PDF). 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  16. ^ a b Lewis, Michael (2003-09-28). "The Personal Is the Antipolitical". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  17. ^ "The Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science Bestows Honorary Memberships to The Big Bang Theory Creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady". prnewswire.com. October 7, 2010. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  18. ^ "2013 Agency Honor Awards" (PDF). NASA. 2013. p. 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  19. ^ "Our Board of Trustees: Bill Prady". The Humanitas Prize. 2015. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  20. ^ a b "Threads". www.threads.net. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  21. ^ "Here Come the Munsters (1995) - Munsterland". www.munsterland.net. Archived from the original on 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  22. ^ "THE COSBY SHOW". www.wga.org. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
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