Biography
Gary Marsh is president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels, a role he has held since September 2011. He reports to Peter Rice, chairman, Walt Disney Television, and co-chair, Disney Media Networks. Marsh has both strategic business oversight and creative responsibility for Disney's successful kids TV business. The portfolio spans Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, plus the Radio Disney broadcast and satellite radio networks. Its multiplatform strategy includes subscription video-on-demand and live, linear feeds available via the authenticated branded app-DisneyNOW-at home and via mobile devices. Reporting in to Marsh is an executive team representing Original Programming and Production, Disney Television Animation, Business Affairs, Business Planning and Development, Marketing and On-Air Promotion, Worldwide Programming Strategy, Planning and Acquisitions, Casting, Talent Relations, and Media Relations. Creative content is the driving force of Disney Channels, and Marsh is responsible for leading the effort to develop Disney-branded programming for kids and families around the world as well as Disney Channel-produced content for Disney+. The extraordinarily successful original programming slate includes the current hit series "BUNK'D," "Raven's Home," "Sydney to the Max," "DuckTales" and the Emmy® Award-winning "Mickey Mouse" short-form series. Among the other hit series over the years are the Emmy-winning "Wizards of Waverly Place," "K.C. Undercover," the Emmy-winning "Phineas and Ferb," "Good Luck Charlie," "Dog with a Blog," "Hannah Montana," "Gravity Falls," "Austin & Ally, "Jessie" and the groundbreaking series "Andi Mack." Recent Disney Channel content for Disney+ includes "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series," and movies "Phineas & Ferb: Candace Against the Universe" and "Secret Society of Second-Born Royals." Marsh also oversees the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise, comprising over 100 titles. The franchise accounts for the #1 movie in Cable TV history ("High School Musical 2") and 5 of the Top 10 in Total Viewers/P2+ in the U.S. and has delivered the #1 cable movie with Kids 6-11 for 22 of the past 24 years, with "ZOMBIES 2" as the #1 cable movie of 2020 to-date (5/17/20). Viewers have also heavily engaged with the music from DCOMs, accounting for over 50 million units in soundtrack and music sales. Various soundtracks have spent multiple weeks at #1 on the iTunes Soundtrack chart and music videos from the movies have garnered millions of views on VEVO/YouTube. Marsh's team also oversees Disney Junior, the popular multiplatform brand for kids age 2-7, which includes the Peabody Award-winning "Doc McStuffins," the Emmy® Award-winning "Elena of Avalor" and "Muppet Babies," the Emmy-nominated "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," newest hit series "Mira, Royal Detective," inspired by the cultures and customs of India, and other hits "Fancy Nancy," "Vampirina" and "Puppy Dog Pals," each blending Disney's unparalleled storytelling and beloved characters. From 2009-11, Marsh was president, Entertainment and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide. From 2005-09, he was president, Entertainment, Disney Channel Worldwide. From 2001-05, he was executive vice president, Original Programming and Production, Disney Channel. He was executive vice president, Original Programming, from 1999-2001, and senior vice president, Original Programming, from 1994-99. He joined Disney Channel in 1988 as executive director, Programming, and was promoted to vice president within months. Throughout his tenure at Disney Channel, Marsh has supervised projects that have garnered the highest industry and critical acclaim, including multiple Emmys and Humanitas Prizes, plus TV Academy Honors, Peabody, NAMIC, Gabriel, Women in Film, Parents' Choice and New York International Film and Television Festival awards. He co-created and co-chaired City of Hope's annual Concert for Hope, was a 2005 Honoree of Girls Incorporated which recognizes industry leaders who are excellent role models for girls and young women, and was named among the 25 "Smartest People in Television" by Entertainment Weekly magazine. Prior to joining Disney Channel, Marsh was director of Movies and Miniseries at Columbia Pictures Television. He was previously vice president, the Garth Group, a consulting firm in New York City, where he specialized in creating media for political campaigns. Marsh is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles.
