Anita W. Addison

Anita Laraine Wharton Addison[1] (September 6, 1952 – January 24, 2004) was an American television and film director and producer. She was one of the first African American women to be a senior producer for a major television network.[2]

Anita W. Addison
Born
Anita Laraine Wharton Addison

(1952-09-06)September 6, 1952
Greensboro, North Carolina, United States
DiedJanuary 24, 2004(2004-01-24) (aged 51)
New York City, New York, United States
Other namesAnita Addison
OccupationTelevision and film director, television producer
Years active1976–2004

Biography

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, her parents were educators and civil rights activists.[2] Her father, Donald Addison, was a sociology professor at North Carolina A&T. Her mother was Ruth Wharton Addison.[3] Addison graduated from high school in Wisconsin.[3]

Addison was a graduate in 1974 of Vassar College, where she studied political science,[3] and then went to Columbia University where she received a master's degree in journalism.[2]

Addison began working as a journalist at People, Money, Fortune,[1] and as a researcher for Time magazine,[2] before embarking on a directing and producing career. She took classes at New York University's school of film. She then worked as an analyst of Nielsen ratings for a small, independent TV station in Los Angeles.[2]

Addison produced, wrote and directed a short film called "Savannah"[2] which was nominated for an Academy Award for best director in 1989.[4]

In the late 1980s, she worked as a senior VP of drama development at Lorimar before working as a producer at Warner Bros. Television.[2]

In 1990 she earned a master's degree in fine arts from UCLA and began her career in TV and film.[3]

From 1995 to 1998, Addison was VP of drama development at CBS. After leaving CBS, she worked on numerous television series including Family Law and EZ Streets with director and writer Paul Haggis. In 1999, she directed the television movie Deep in My Heart. Addison died on January 24, 2004 in New York City. When she died she was a producer at paramount Television and had just finished directing the pilot for "Manhattan Valley."[1] Haggis dedicated his Oscar-winning film Crash to Addison.[3]

She was seriously involved in the L.A Rebellion, an African-American film movement that took place at UCLA.[4]

Personal life

Addison had an older brother, Donald Addison, and a younger sister, Alveta Addison.[3] She also had a partner for 8 years, David Byrd.[1]

Death

Addison was in New York City working on a television series when she became ill in mid-January. She was admitted to New York-Presbyterian hospital, and died a week later.[2] There was no funeral or memorial held at the time she died. Her body was donated to science, and people were encouraged to make donations in her memory to their favorite causes.[3] The cause of death was breast cancer.[3]

Selected filmography

Director

Producer
  • Sisters (7 episodes, 1991)
  • It Had to Be You (1993)[2]
  • That's Life (Executive producer)[2] (22 episodes, 2001–02)
  • Copshop (2004)

References
  1. Variety Staff; Staff, Variety (January 28, 2004). "Anita Addison". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  2. Rourke, Mary (January 30, 2004). "Anita Addison, 51; Pioneering TV Network Producer, Director". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  3. Writer, Tom Steadman Staff. "Woman left impression on director". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  4. Editors, Blackartstory org (September 14, 2020). "Profile: Anita W. Addison (1952-2004)". Black Art Story. Retrieved January 12, 2021.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
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