Ronald Jacobs Obit
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Ronald Jacobs was an American television producer.
Jacobs moved from his hometown of Toledo, Ohio to Los Angeles in 1951 to study theater, film & television at UCLA.
After graduating, he went to work for Danny Thomas and his partner Sheldon Leonard, as part of their production company. He quickly moved up through the ranks, becoming an associate producer, executive in charge of production and finally producer on such hit series as The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Mod Squad, The Andy Griffith Show, I Spy, and That Girl. He was associated with over twenty pilots that were sold into series, as well as over three dozen variety specials and TV movies.
He was a long-time member of the Motion Picture Academy, the Television Academy and the Directors Guild of America.
Jacobs died February 21, 2022, in Thousand Oaks, California. He was 87.
Jacobs, who graduated from UCLA with a degree in Theater
Arts-Motion Pictures, started his television career during his senior year as
Production Assistant to producers Louis F. Edelman and Sheldon Leonard. He went
on to become Associate Producer, Production Supervisor, Production Executive,
Executive in Charge of Production, Director, Producer, Executive Producer and
President of Television, for such companies as Daisy Prods., Calvada Prods.,
Mirisch/Rich Prods., Thomas/Spelling Prods., T&L Prods., Danny Thomas
Prods., Sheldon Leonard Prods., and Larry Thompson Org./New World
Entertainment. Among the shows with which he was associated with were "The
Danny Thomas Show", "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "That
Girl", "Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.", "The Mod Squad",
"The Andy Griffith Show", "My World and Welcome To It", and
"I Spy". He was associated with pilot films for 22 series sold to the
networks, and 26 comedy/variety specials; among them were, "Country vs
City", "Young And Foolish", "Wonderful World of
Burlesque", "My Home Town", "Sea World", "It's
Greek To Me", "Guys And Geishas", "Block Party USA",
"A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To A Special", and "The
Unbroken Circle". Twenty movies made for television, including "The
Over The Hill Gang", "Three On A Date", "Satan's
Triangle", "The Woman He Loved", And Samurai". Jacobs has
also directed second unit action scenes, three camera comedy shows, TV title
sequences, and over fifty commercials. As Executive in Charge of Production he
headed up the Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard companies. His varied background
included business affairs, industrial relations, personnel, facilities and
administrative services. Among the features he produced were "On the Right
Track", a very successful comedy-drama for 20th century Fox release;
"Jimmy The Kid", from a Donald Westlake novel; a political action
feature "Land of the Free"; and an international action feature
"Running Red", which was directed by his son, Jerry P. Jacobs. Jacobs
also has a well deserved reputation for "script doctoring" and
"creative consulting" television movies and low budget features.
Among them PM Entertainment's "The Magic Kid" and "The Magic Kid
2" for which he received Executive Producer credit. Producer/Director
Jacobs enjoys a reputation for making quality product on, or under budget.
"In the early part of my career I was the 'bad cop' in the good cop/bad
cop controlling of costs", Jacobs says. "I much prefer my present
role of 'tough good cop'--in other words--good cop with fiscal
responsibility". Jacobs, who is recognized in "Who's Who in
Entertainment" "Who's Who in America" and "Who's Who in The
World", is active in civic, charitable and industry affairs. He is a
member of both the TV and Motion Picture Academies; The Directors Guild of
America; Board of Reps. of The Entertainment Industry Foundation; and was a
long time member of the The Board of Trustees of St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital; The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the UCLA/Jonson
Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Association of Motion Picture and
Television Producers. He has been a judge for the Student Academy Awards and TV
academy intern program, and Emmy Awards, Ace Cable Awards, and is a judge for
the Nicholl Fellowship Screenwriting Awards for the Motion Picture Academy.
Jacobs, who spent a great deal of his career fixing other peoples scripts, has
turned to writing theatrical features. He has written a middle east based
adventure, "Hanging By A Thread"; two scripts for "Crimes of
Passion 2", -- a film noire thriller, "The Color of Passion",
and with Paula Brancatto, "Love You To Death"; and a relationship
comedy, "Warm Lips". With Maria James he wrote "Busted", an
erotic comedy. He also wrote "Swedish Summer", a romantic coming of
age drama, with Ken Rotcop, for Elephant Productions.
Father of Producer Jerry Jacobs.
Cousin of Marlo Thomas.
Nephew of Danny Thomas.
Director
The Alan Parsons Project: Let's Talk About Me
7.5
Music Video
Director
1985
Deborah Allen: Rockin' Little Christmas
Music Video
Director
1984
Writer
Land of the Free (1998)
Land of the Free
4.6
story
1998
Busted (1997)
Busted
2.7
Video
written by
1997
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
new material (as R.J. Jacobs)
1960
1 episode
Producer
Running Red (1999)
Running Red
4.9
producer
1999
Land of the Free (1998)
Land of the Free
4.6
producer
1998
Magic Kid II (1994)
Magic Kid II
3.8
executive producer
1994
The Woman He Loved (1988)
The Woman He Loved
6.1
TV Movie
assistant producer (as Ron Jacobs)
1988
Don Adams and Gary Coleman in Jimmy the Kid (1982)
Jimmy the Kid
4.7
producer
1982
On the Right Track (1981)
On the Right Track
5.4
producer
1981
Featherstone's Nest (1979)
Featherstone's Nest
TV Movie
executive producer
1979
Starting Fresh
6.6
TV Movie
executive producer
1979
Samurai (1979)
Samurai
6.6
TV Movie
executive producer
1979
June Allyson, Loni Anderson, Ray Bolger, John Byner, Didi
Conn, Carol Lawrence, Meredith MacRae, Ricky Nelson, and Patrick Wayne in Three
on a Date (1978)
Three on a Date
5.7
TV Movie
executive producer
1978
Paul Carr, Lee de Broux, T.J. Escott, Michael Pataki, and
Jon Shank in The Dirt Gang (1972)
The Dirt Gang
3.0
executive producer
1972
"Make Room for Granddaddy" Sid Melton, Roosevelt
Grier, Angela Cartwright, Marjorie Lord, Danny Thomas, Michael Hughes
Make Room for Granddaddy
6.4
TV Series
associate executive producer
1970–1971
4 episodes
Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton in Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964)
Gomer Pyle: USMC
7.0
TV Series
associate producer
1964–1967
90 episodes
Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Van Dyke Show
(1961)
The Dick Van Dyke Show
8.4
TV Series
associate producer
1961–1966
158 episodes
Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in I Spy (1965)
I Spy
7.2
TV Series
associate producer
1965–1966
28 episodes
Danny Thomas in Danny Thomas Special: On the Road to Lebanon
(1966)
Danny Thomas Special: On the Road to Lebanon
TV Special
associate producer
1966
Bill Dana and Maggie Peterson in The Bill Dana Show (1963)
The Bill Dana Show
7.2
TV Series
associate producer
1963–1964
8 episodes
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
associate producerassistant producer
1958–1964
146 episodes
Production Manager
Brenda Starr (1976)
Brenda Starr
5.6
TV Movie
associate production supervisor
1976
Remember When (1974)
Remember When
7.7
TV Movie
production executive
1974
Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, and Clarence Williams III in Mod
Squad (1968)
Mod Squad
7.0
TV Series
production executiveexecutive in charge of production
1968–1971
53 episodes
That Girl (1966)
That Girl
7.3
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1965–1971
137 episodes
Walter Brennan in The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970)
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
5.6
TV Movie
executive in charge of production
1970
My World and Welcome to It (1969)
My World and Welcome to It
8.5
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1969–1970
26 episodes
The New People (1969)
The New People
6.9
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1969
1 episode
Walter Brennan and Dack Rambo in The Guns of Will Sonnett
(1967)
The Guns of Will Sonnett
7.5
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1967–1969
50 episodes
My Friend Tony (1969)
My Friend Tony
7.0
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1969
2 episodes
Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, and Andy Griffith in The Andy
Griffith Show (1960)
The Andy Griffith Show
8.4
TV Series
production supervisor
1963–1968
154 episodes
Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Hour (1967)
The Danny Thomas Hour
7.1
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1967–1968
2 episodes
Roddy McDowall, Marlo Thomas, Ed Ames, Hans Conried, and
Paul Frees in Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
Cricket on the Hearth
5.5
TV Movie
executive in charge of production
1967
Off to See the Wizard (1967)
Off to See the Wizard
6.7
TV Series
production supervisor (uncredited)
1967
1 episode
Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton in Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964)
Gomer Pyle: USMC
7.0
TV Series
production supervisor
1964–1967
90 episodes
Norman Alden, Tim Conway, and Guy Marks in Rango (1967)
Rango
7.0
TV Series
executive in charge of production
1967
2 episodes
Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Van Dyke Show
(1961)
The Dick Van Dyke Show
8.4
TV Series
production supervisor
1963–1966
96 episodes
Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in I Spy (1965)
I Spy
7.2
TV Series
production supervisor
1965–1966
28 episodes
The Joey Bishop Show (1961)
The Joey Bishop Show
6.5
TV Series
production supervisor
1963–1965
57 episodes
Bill Dana and Maggie Peterson in The Bill Dana Show (1963)
The Bill Dana Show
7.2
TV Series
production supervisor
1963–1964
8 episodes
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
production supervisor
1963–1964
30 episodes
Second Unit or Assistant Director
Land of the Free (1998)
Land of the Free
4.6
second unit director
1998
The Practice (1976)
The Practice
6.5
TV Series
second unit director
1976–1977
Additional Crew
Peggy Lipton, Tige Andrews, Michael Cole, and Clarence
Williams III in The Return of Mod Squad (1979)
The Return of Mod Squad
6.8
TV Movie
production executive
1979
The Practice (1976)
The Practice
6.5
TV Series
production executive
1976
1 episode
Fay (1975)
Fay
6.4
TV Series
production executiveproduction consultant
1975–1976
5 episodes
Kim Novak and Doug McClure in Satan's Triangle (1975)
Satan's Triangle
5.9
TV Movie
production executive
1975
The Gun and the Pulpit (1974)
The Gun and the Pulpit
5.7
TV Movie
production executive
1974
Blood Sport (1973)
Blood Sport
6.7
TV Movie
production executive
1973
Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, and Clarence Williams III in Mod
Squad (1968)
Mod Squad
7.0
TV Series
production executive
1970–1973
70 episodes
"Make Room for Granddaddy" Sid Melton, Roosevelt
Grier, Angela Cartwright, Marjorie Lord, Danny Thomas, Michael Hughes
Make Room for Granddaddy
6.4
TV Series
production executive
1970–1971
Andy Griffith in Mayberry R.F.D. (1968)
Mayberry R.F.D.
5.9
TV Series
production executive
1968–1970
52 episodes
Stephen Boyd, Richard Pryor, and Billy Dee Williams in
Carter's Army (1970)
Carter's Army
5.1
TV Movie
production executive
1970
Lee Majors and Joey Heatherton in The Ballad of Andy Crocker
(1969)
The Ballad of Andy Crocker
5.7
TV Movie
production executive
1969
Sammy Davis Jr. in The Pigeon (1969)
The Pigeon
5.6
TV Movie
production executive
1969
Janet Leigh and George Maharis in The Monk (1969)
The Monk
5.2
TV Movie
production executive
1969
Jim Backus, Eva Gabor, and Ken Berry in Wake Me When the War
Is Over (1969)
Wake Me When the War Is Over
5.3
TV Movie
production executive
1969
Jack Elam in The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969)
The Over-the-Hill Gang
6.1
TV Movie
production executive
1969
Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton in Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964)
Gomer Pyle: USMC
7.0
TV Series
production executive
1967–1969
60 episodes
The Don Rickles Show (1968)
The Don Rickles Show
7.0
TV Series
production executive (pilot episode)
1968–1969
Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in I Spy (1965)
I Spy
7.2
TV Series
production executive
1966–1968
54 episodes
Goldie Hawn, Joby Baker, Billy De Wolfe, Julie Parrish, and
Ronnie Schell in Good Morning World (1967)
Good Morning World
6.6
TV Series
production executive
1967–1968
26 episodes
Accidental Family (1967)
Accidental Family
6.3
TV Series
production executive
1967–1968
16 episodes
Walter Brennan and Dack Rambo in The Guns of Will Sonnett
(1967)
The Guns of Will Sonnett
7.5
TV Series
production executive
1967–1969
Norman Alden, Tim Conway, and Guy Marks in Rango (1967)
Rango
7.0
TV Series
in charge of production
1967
1 episode
Hey, Landlord (1966)
Hey, Landlord
7.2
TV Series
production executive (pilot episode)
1966–1967
Danny Thomas Special: Friends (1965)
Danny Thomas Special: Friends
TV Special
associate: Mr. Thomas
1965
Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, and Andy Griffith in The Andy
Griffith Show (1960)
The Andy Griffith Show
8.4
TV Series
assistant to producer
1960–1961
32 episodes
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
assistant to producer
1957–1960
93 episodes
Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan in The
Real McCoys (1957)
The Real McCoys
7.6
TV Series
assistant to producer
1957
6 episodes
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