Jack Orman

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Jack Orman
BornParadise Valley, Arizona, United States
OccupationTelevision writer, television producer
NationalityAmerican
GenreScreenwriting
Notable worksER, Shades of Blue

Jack Orman is an American television writer, producer and director. He worked extensively on ER, eventually becoming an executive producer.

Early life[edit]

Orman grew up in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and earned his bachelor's degree in communications (film) from Loyola Marymount University. He produced an international documentary in Asia before earning a master of fine arts degree from USC's Peter Stark Producing Program.[1]

Career[edit]

Orman made his script writing debut as a freelance writer for an episode of JAG. The script was so well-received that Orman was hired as a staff writer and within half a season Paramount Television made him a co-producer on the show. Orman contributed a further 8 episodes over the next year and a half.[1]

Following his success on JAG, Orman was recruited to join the production team of ER in 1997. He became a writer and co-producer on the fourth season of ER. He was promoted to supervising producer for the fifth season and continued to write episodes. He became a co-executive producer for the sixth season. Orman then became an executive producer and the series show runner for the seventh season.[1] He also made his television directing debut on the eighth season. Orman wrote 28 episodes and directed 3 episodes during his time on ER.

Orman and the rest of the producers of ER were nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Drama Series for their work on the fourth season at the 1998 awards. Orman was nominated for this award along with the other producers for the next three years running for the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons of ER. The show also received several people's choice awards throughout Orman's time as a producer.[1] His season 6 episode "All in the Family" was the series highest rated episode to date and was second only to the Seinfeld finale for the most watched episode of television and was included in Hollywood Reporter's list of the Top 10 Highest Rated Shows of the Decade.[1]

After leaving ER Orman has created/executive produced further television series. Dr. Vegas was a short-lived comedic drama starring Rob Lowe and Joe Pantoliano. Orman's next series, the Rhode Island-based Waterfront, also starred Pantoliano and was picked up by the CBS network in 2006.

In 2009, Orman wrote and produced on the first season of Men of a Certain Age which received a Peabody Award

He created a television pilot for ABC and Sony Pictures Television in 2010 called "Matadors" about the law, secret societies, and love.

And in 2011, Orman created and executive produced Pan Am (TV series) again with ABC and Sony Pictures Television.

Orman continues to be active in television development.

Family life[edit]

He lives in Studio City, California with his wife, Lisa, and their five children. He has three sons and twin daughters.

Filmography[edit]

Writer[edit]

Year Show Episode Notes
1995 JAG "Pilot Error" Season 1, episode 6
1996 "Hemlock" Season 1, episode 15
"Survivors" Season 1, episode 18
"Recovery" Season 1, episode 19
"Ares" Season 1, episode 21
1997 "Jinx" Season 2, episode 3
"Trinity" Season 2, episode 6
"Full Engagement" Season 2, episode 8
"The Guardian" Season 2, episode 12
ER "When the Bough Breaks" Season 4, episode 4
"Do You See What I See? " Teleplay - Season 4, episode 10
1998 "My Brother's Keeper" Season 4, episode 16
"Of Past Regret and Future Fear" Season 4, episode 20
"Vanishing Act" Season 5, episode 4
"The Good Fight" Season 5, episode 9
1999 "Responsible Parties " Season 5, episode 21
"Last Rites" Season 6, episode 2
"Great Expectations" Season 6, episode 8
2000 "All in the Family" Season 6, episode 14
"May Day" Season 6, episode 22
"Homecoming" Season 7, episode 1
"Sand and Water " Season 7, episode 2
"The Dance We Do" Season 7, episode 8
2001 "Surrender" Season 7, episode 12
"The Crossing" Season 7, episode 15
"Sailing Away" Season 7, episode 19
"Rampage" Season 7, episode 22
"Four Corners" Season 8, episode 1
"The Longer You Stay" Season 8, episode 2
"Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain" Season 8, episode 8
2002 "Beyond Repair" Season 8, episode 11
"A Simple Twist of Fate" Season 8, episode 14
"The Letter" Season 8, episode 20
"Chaos Theory" Season 9, episode 1
"Insurrection" Season 9, episode 3
"First Snowfall" Season 9, episode 8
2003 "When Night Meets Day" Season 9, episode 21
2004 Dr. Vegas "Pilot" Season 1, episode 1
2006 Waterfront "Pilot" Season 1, episode 1
2009 Men of a Certain Age "Go with the Flow" Season 1, episode 6
2010 Matadors "Pilot" Season 1, episode 1
2011 Pan Am "Pilot" Season 1, episode 1
"We'll Always Have Paris" (Co-written with Mike Daniels) Season 1, episode 2
"Eastern Exposure" (Co-written with Moira Walley-Beckett) Season 1, episode 4
"Truth or Dare" (Co-written with Mike Daniels) Season 1, episode 7

Director[edit]

Year Show Episode Notes
2002 ER "The Letter" Season 8, episode 20
"First Snowfall" Season 9, episode 8
2003 "When Night Meets Day" Season 9, episode 21

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Behind the Curtain - Who Makes ER? Jack Orman (Executive Producer)". Warner Bros. 2001. Retrieved 2008-05-15.

External links[edit]