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George Shapiro, one of comedy's most respected managers and producers, has built a career out of his love for laughter and his reverence for those with a gift to inspire it.
Together with partner and lifelong friend Howard West, he formed Shapiro/West Productions and executive produced the Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe award winning series "SEINFELD."
George Shapiro was born in the Bronx and graduated from New York University with a degree in advertising and marketing. He took a job in the mailroom at the William Morris Agency in New York where he advanced rapidly within the company and soon became an agent. He is responsible for packaging hit television programs such as "THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW," "THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR," "THAT GIRL" starring Marlo Thomas, and "GOMER PYLE," starring his client, Jim Nabors. Shapiro also packaged specials for Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing. These early shows not only made an indelible imprint on audiences, but they catapulted many of the cast members to superstardom.
Shapiro eventually left the William Morris Agency to become a personal manager and producer. He managed Andy Kaufman, executive producing the comedian's special for Showtime entitled, "ANDY KAUFMAN AT CARNEGIE HALL," as well as another for ABC, "ANDY'S FUNHOUSE," and for NBC, he Executive Produced "A COMEDY SALUTE TO ANDY KAUFMAN." He executive produced the Universal film "MAN ON THE MOON" starring Jim Carrey in the role of Andy Kaufman. Danny De Vito co-starred portraying George Shapiro, with two-time Academy Award winner Milos Forman directing. An interesting sidebar; "MAN ON THE MOON" represents Shapiro and West's joint debut as feature film actors. Shapiro played the role of Mr. Besserman, a club owner who fires Andy Kaufman early in his career, and West portrayed a hard-nosed network executive.
Additional feature films produced by Shapiro include "SUMMER RENTAL" starring John Candy and Rip Torn, "SUMMER SCHOOL" starring Mark Harmon and Kirsty Alley, and "SIBLING RIVALRY" starring Kirsty Alley and Jami Gertz. He is the producer of the documentaries "THE BRONX BOYS" (HBO-CINEMAX) and "THE BRONX BOYS STILL PLAYING AT 80" (PBS) and "THE BRONX BOYS FINDING THE FUTURE" (in post production). Currently featured on HBO is the critically acclaimed documentary feature film "IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE OBIT, EAT BREAFAST," produced by Shapiro, hosted by Carl Reiner and starring amongst others, Tony Bennett, Mel Brooks, Kirk Douglas, Norman Lear, Stan Lee, Jerry Seinfeld, Dick Van Dyke and Betty White.
On Broadway, Shapiro was one of the producers of "COLIN QUINN LONG STORY SHORT" at the Helen Hayes Theatre.
Shapiro has brought a myriad of critically acclaimed comedy specials to television. He Executive Produced Jerry Seinfeld's very first stand up special, HBO's "STAND-UP CONFIDENTIAL," in which Carl Reiner introduced Jerry to the world of Prime Time Television. He also packaged Carl Reiner and Mel Brook's animated milestone, "THE 2000 YEAR OLD MAN."
Shapiro continues to trail blaze the landscape of comedy in television as the Executive Producer of Jerry Seinfeld's Netflix Comedy Standup Specials, the first being "JERRY BEFORE SEINFELD" which can now be seen on Netflix, as well as the Executive Producer of COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE," which has been nominated for an Emmy in its last two seasons and has 24 new episodes airing on Netflix starting in 2018. "COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE" has received awards for Digital Series at the Producers Guild Awards in 2015, 2016 and 2017 along with two Webby Awards.
Recently Shapiro served as Executive Producer of the CBS Special "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW - NOW IN LIVING COLOR" to be telecast December 22, 2017.
