Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell /ˈkænəl/was an American television producer, writer, novelist, and occasional actor, and the founder of Cannell Entertainmentand the Cannell Studios...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionProducer
Date of Birth5 February 1941
CountryUnited States of America
carried ended formed largest owned studio third tv
I formed my own studio, carried my own deficits, owned one-hundred percent of my negatives, and made a lot of mistakes, but we ended up being the third largest TV studio in Hollywood.
county grade grew
I was born in L.A. County Hospital, but I grew up in Pasadena. I married my 8th grade sweetheart, Marcia.
bad catch easiest everybody generally good hardest runs rut second third
The first act is the easiest to plot. The second act is always the hardest to plot. Generally a good, you know, sometimes the third act can be difficult because you can get into a rut in the third act - everybody runs to their Corvette, has a chase, and you catch the bad guy.
fastest generally guy people
I'm generally a very happy guy because I'm doing what I want. I'm willing to tell you that there are people who are much better than I am in writing. I don't have to be the fastest gun in the West.
guy larger taught work
I'm a very conservative businessman. I don't work on credit. My father was the guy who taught me how to think straight, not to delude myself and think I was larger than I was.
achieve anybody anyone believed concept harder life means ten work
I believed in the concept of over-performing. I believe anyone can achieve their goals in life if they over-perform, and that means you have to work ten times harder than anybody you see.
believe good joke novel people
I believe in three-act structure. When I say that to novel people, or people in the world of books, they go, 'Well, that's a film thing.' However, even a good joke has three acts.
behind business huge successes system whether wife
Having a support system is huge for writers. My parents were always encouraging and told me they were behind me, whether or not I made it in the business. My wife was always there for my successes and failures.
fairly good happened people shows starts ten trying
Everyone starts out desperately trying to make a hit, but some people are just more mistake-prone than others. I happened to be fairly mistake-prone. Of the 40 shows I made, I'd say ten were hits, which is a pretty good average.
dad design four furniture tv
My dad was an interior design and furniture person. I started working with him for four years before my first TV writing break.
morning
I've been very successful at selling my things, but I've also been getting up at 4 in the morning for 40 years.
I flunked three grades before I got out of high school.
humor love
I love 'Dexter.' The dark sense of humor is wonderful.
believed best dad life success worshipped
My dad was my best friend. I worshipped him. All of my success in life really comes from him. He believed that you get nothing from negativity.