Phillip M. Goldfarb obit

Phillip M. Goldfarb, Emmy-Winning Producer on ‘L.A. Law,’ Dies at 82

His credits included other collaborations with Steven Bochco and such films as 'Taxi Driver,' 'The Last Detail' and 'Thank God It's Friday.' 

He was not on the list.

Phillip M. Goldfarb, the producer and production manager who won two Emmys for L.A. Law and worked on films including I Never Sang for My Father, Taxi Driver and The Last Detail, has died. He was 82.

Goldfarb died April 7 in Los Angeles, his friend Garry Hart, chair and professor of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts at California State Fullerton, announced.

Goldfarb served as a coordinating producer on the first three seasons of L.A. Law. He received Emmy noms for three straight years and won in 1987 and ’89, sharing the honors with series co-creator Steven Bochco, among others.

Goldfarb, who spent seven years as a vice president for Steven Bochco Productions, also helmed a 1989 episode of the acclaimed NBC drama and was an assistant director on films including Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997).

Born in Brooklyn on Feb. 24, 1940, Goldfarb served as a production assistant on director Paul Newman’s Rachel, Rachel (1968), starring Joanne Woodward.

He then worked as a production manager/unit manager or associate producer/co-producer on such features as Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), The Last Detail (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Thank God It’s Friday (1978), Ice Castles (1978), My Bodyguard (1980) and Taps (1981).

His TV résumé also included stints on Knots Landing, Monk, The Librarians, NYPD Blue, Southland, House of Lies, Leverage and Roswell.

A DGA member since 1967, Goldfarb served often on guild negotiation committees in contract talks with producers. In 2015, the DGA presented him with its Frank Capra Achievement Award.

“With more than 30 years of continuous service as a trustee for the DGA-Producer Pension and Health Plans, Phil was an exceptionally dedicated leader, a strong advocate for DGA members and a thoughtful, gentle and kind man,” DGA national executive director Russell Hollander said in a statement. “His loss is deeply felt by us all.”

“All we really have is each other, so what we should try to do is help each other,” Goldfarb said after learning of his award. “I cannot repay the people who assisted me, they are no longer here, all I can do, out of respect for them, is to help others on their way.”

Among those he mentored was Dean Devlin; in the Telluride Daily Planet, the producer-director called Goldfarb “my teacher, my friend, my co-worker, my support, my guru.”

A longtime resident of Telluride, he taught at UCLA and CalArts.

Survivors include his wife, Jane; children Fidel, Trace, Jeffrey, Griffin, Alexandra and Harmony; and brother Ken.

Donations in his memory can be made to World Central Kitchen.

Producer

Extra Innings (2019)

Extra Innings

9.3

Short

producer

2019

 

Lisa Brenner, Mark Bonnar, and Nick Blood in Say My Name (2018)

Say My Name

5.8

executive producer

2018

 

The Desecrated (2018)

The Desecrated

6.7

Short

producer

2018

 

Rebecca Romijn, Lindy Booth, Christian Kane, John Larroquette, and John Harlan Kim in The Librarians (2014)

The Librarians

7.3

TV Series

producer

2015–2017

20 episodes

 

Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane, and Beth Riesgraf in Leverage (2008)

Leverage

7.9

TV Series

producer

2008–2009

5 episodes

 

Noah Wyle and Stana Katic in The Librarian III: The Curse of the Judas Chalice (2008)

The Librarian III: The Curse of the Judas Chalice

6.4

TV Movie

producer

2008

 

Talk to Me

7.7

TV Series

producer

2006

 

James Franco in Flyboys (2006)

Flyboys

6.5

executive producer

2006

 

Noah Wyle in The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (2004)

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear

6.2

TV Movie

producer

2004

 

Tony Shalhoub in Monk (2002)

Monk

8.1

TV Series

producer (produced by)

2003–2004

10 episodes

 

Endgame: Ethics and Values in America

TV Movie

producer

2002

 

Corbin Bernsen, Susan Dey, Harry Hamlin, Larry Drake, Richard Dysart, Jill Eikenberry, Michele Greene, Susan Ruttan, and Michael Tucker in L.A. Law: The Movie (2002)

L.A. Law: The Movie

5.9

TV Movie

producer

2002

 

Linda Hamilton in Bailey's Mistake (2001)

Bailey's Mistake

5.0

TV Movie

producer

2001

 

Brookfield

4.3

TV Movie

producer

1999

 

Leslie Bibb, Carly Pope, and Sara Rue in Popular (1999)

Popular

7.4

TV Series

producer

1999

3 episodes

 

Roswell (1999)

Roswell

7.5

TV Series

producer (produced by)

1999

1 episode

 

Eric Roberts, D.B. Sweeney, Morris Chestnut, Angie Harmon, Zach Grenier, and Christine Tucci in C-16: FBI (1997)

C-16: FBI

6.8

TV Series

producer

1997–1998

 

David Caruso, Hillary Danner, Peter Outerbridge, Rebecca Rigg, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Michael Hayes (1997)

Michael Hayes

6.5

TV Series

producer

1997

1 episode

 

Kiefer Sutherland, Vincent Gallo, Kim Dickens, and Mykelti Williamson in Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997)

Truth or Consequences, N.M.

6.3

executive producer

1997

 

Neil Patrick Harris in Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989)

Doogie Howser, M.D.

6.5

TV Series

coordinating producer

1989

1 episode

 

L.A. Law (1986)

L.A. Law

7.1

TV Series

coordinating producer

1986–1989

54 episodes

 

Hooperman (1987)

Hooperman

7.0

TV Series

coordinating producer

1987

1 episode

 

All the Right Moves (1983)

All the Right Moves

6.0

co-producer (as Phillip Goldfarb)

1983

 

My Bodyguard (1980)

My Bodyguard

7.1

associate producer (as Phillip Goldfarb)

1980

 

Jeff Goldblum, Lionel Richie, Hilary Beane, Andrea Howard, Valerie Landsburg, Mark Lonow, Terri Nunn, Chuck Sacci, Mews Small, Donna Summer, Chick Vennera, William King, Ronald La Pread, Thomas McClary, Walter Orange, Milan Williams, and The Commodores in Thank God It's Friday (1978)

Thank God It's Friday

5.5

co-producer (as Phillip Goldfarb)

1978

 

Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (1976)

Taxi Driver

8.2

associate producer

1976

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

Kiefer Sutherland, Vincent Gallo, Kim Dickens, and Mykelti Williamson in Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997)

Truth or Consequences, N.M.

6.3

second unit director

1997

 

Thunder and Lightning (1977)

Thunder and Lightning

5.2

assistant director (as Phil Goldfarb)

1977

 

Journey Through Rosebud (1972)

Journey Through Rosebud

6.6

assistant director (as Phil Goldfarb)

1972

 

Taking Off (1971)

Taking Off

7.4

first assistant director (as Phillip Goldfarb)

1971

 

Sighet, Sighet (1967)

Sighet, Sighet

6.9

Short

assistant director (as Phil Goldfarb)

1967