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Bryce Zabel, a former CNN correspondent turned screenwriter, has created and led prime-time TV series, written and produced feature films, served as head of the TV Academy, taught at USC, won a WGA award, authored a book, and introduced on-air personalities like Walter Cronkite and Tom Hanks.
Every pilot Zabel wrote that was produced went on to become a series. He earned Writers Guild credits for creating or developing five TV drama series: NBC's Emmy-winning sci-fi Dark Skies (1996), FOX's African-American superhero show M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994), the syndicated adaptation The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (1998), CTV's newsroom drama E.N.G. (1989), and CBS's medical series Kay O'Brien (1986). His other series credits include L.A. Law (1986), Life Goes On (1989), and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993). Three of his shows have been released as major DVD box sets.
In 2008, Zabel won the Writers Guild of America award for his third Hallmark mini-series, Pandemic (2007), a four-hour drama about a deadly influenza that quarantines Los Angeles. His mini-series work also includes Hallmark’s pirate adventure Blackbeard (2006) and NBC’s The Poseidon Adventure (2005).
From 2001 to 2003, Zabel was Chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the first writer/producer to hold the role since Rod Serling. He led the Academy through a turbulent period marked by the cancellation of the prime-time Emmys twice after 9/11 and negotiated a 250% increase in the Emmy telecast license fee. He also served on the Writers Guild Board of Directors.
In feature films and long-form projects, Zabel has writing credits on Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), which debuted at number one at the box office, and Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001). His spec script Official Denial (1993) became SyFy Channel’s first original movie. He also launched the Unsolved Mysteries movie franchise with NBC’s Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story (1993).
Zabel has collaborated with notable figures including Marvel legend Stan Lee, acclaimed TV writer/producer David E. Kelley, Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, his wife Jackie Zabel, and feature writer Brent Friedman.
In 2010, he co-authored the book A.D. After Disclosure: The People's Guide to Life After Contact with UFO historian Richard M. Dolan.
Twice nominated by the WGA for outstanding screenwriting, Zabel’s work has also been recognized by the Mystery Writers of America, Environmental Media Association, and the Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards. His nominations include L.A. Law’s controversial storyline featuring Jimmy Smits and the Dark Skies pilot, which launched NBC’s Saturday night lineup.
Zabel began his career as a television news reporter in Oregon and Arizona before becoming a CNN on-air correspondent in Los Angeles, covering presidential campaigns and space shuttle landings. He met his wife during a news conference at the LA mayor’s office. As a PBS reporter, he earned multiple awards for investigative journalism. He was among the original producer/directors of ABC’s innovative reality magazine show Eye on LA.
His screenwriting career started with the spec pilot E.N.G. (1989), which dramatized electronic news gathering and led to 108 episodes on CTV and an overall deal with Orion TV.
An experienced public speaker, Zabel has appeared on all three Emmy shows during his tenure as TV Academy leader and been a guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Politically Incorrect, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood. He has been quoted in Time, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. As an essayist, his work has appeared in Daily Variety, Television Week, The Los Angeles Times, the WGA’s Written By, and Emmy Magazine.
Beyond television, he recently produced a three-hour comedy/musical stage show hosted by Fred Willard for 1,100 guests to launch the University of Oregon’s $600 million fundraising campaign.
Zabel has also served as an adjunct professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, teaching a graduate producing course titled "Produce or Perish." He is a member of the DGA, WGA, AFTRA, and ATAS.
He attended high school in Hillsboro, Oregon, and earned a BA in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Oregon in Eugene.
