Jerry Foley obit

Longtime David Letterman Director Jerry Foley Dies at 68

 

He was not on the list.

Sad news to report. Jerry Foley, longtime director of The Late Show With David Letterman died suddenly late last week. He’s said to have been on a ski trip when he passed.

Foley began his career in broadcasting as a cameraman before being hired by NBC in 1980 as a graphics technician. In 1990, he was promoted to the role of technical director on NBC’s Late Night with David Letterman. He followed the late-night host to CBS, where he succeeded Hal Gurnee as the director of Late Show With David Letterman in 1995. He continued in that role until Letterman retired in 2015.

Foley directed over 3900 hours of late night television, earning a whopping 21 Emmy nominations–a record for a single person working on a talk show or variety series.

Foley’s death was announced by The Letterman Podcast Sunday.

After graduating from the University of Southern California, Foley spent thirteen years at NBC working in a variety of functions on NBC News Overnight, NBC News at Sunrise, Today (U.S. TV program), Saturday Night Live, Tomorrow (TV series) with Tom Snyder, Late Night with David Letterman, Later (talk show) with Bob Costas, Friday Night Videos, NBC Nightly News, WNBC News 4 New York, Live at Five (WNBC TV series), NFL Live, NBC Game of the Week, and Another World (TV series).

Foley directed over 3900 hours of late night television. He worked with film, television, and music talent in numerous single camera comedy segments. He produced and directed all 72 episodes of Live on Letterman including concerts with The Black Keys, The Killers, Adele, Phoenix (band), Taylor Swift, and Tim McGraw. Foley produced and directed over 40 Broadway performances for The Late Show including Wicked, Pippin, The Adams Family, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hair, Young Frankenstein, and Cinderella. He was the executive producer and director of CBS News: 50 Years Later, Civil Rights and The Beatles 50 Years Later: How CBS is Remembering the Fab Four.

Jerry Foley directed episodes of ABC's The View and Broadway segments for Good Morning America. He was the producer and director of the "America Salutes You" benefit concert. In August 2016, Foley was named Artistic Director of the North Fork TV Festival. Jerry Foley directed the NBC primetime special Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come.