User:Chuckhoffmann/sandbox/Hubbell Robinson

Hubbell Robinson Jr. (October 16, 1905 - September 4, 1974) was a producer and broadcast executive.

Early life and education

Born in Schenectady, New York, the son of attorney Hubbell Robinson and the former Marcia Johnson.

Graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1923 and from Brown University, where he majored in classical Greek, in 1927.

Career

- Worked briefly as a reporter on the Schenectady Union Star

- Joined the advertising firm of Young & Rubicam as a radio producer

- Became a vice president of the firm in 1942

Robinson left Young & Rubicam in November 1945 to become vice president in charge of programming for the Blue Network, which was soon to be rebranded as the American Broadcasting Company.

Worked as a vice president at the advertising firm of Foote, Cone & Belding in 1946

In 1947, Robinson joined CBS. Headed programming at CBS from 1947 to 1959

- Responsible for such shows as "I Love Lucy," "Climax!", Phil Silvers' "Sgt. Bilko" series, "Playhouse 90" and "Gunsmoke."

- Left CBS in 1959 to form his own company, H. Robinson Productions

- Returned to CBS in 1962 as senior vice president for programming

- A memorandum that he circulated in the early 1960s calling producers' attention to the many blacks in middle-class occupations is credited with increasing the number of black performers who were assigned television roles.

- Left CBS in 1959 to form his own company, H. Robinson Productions

- Created and produced "87th Precinct" and "Mystery Theater."

Personal life and death

- Legally separated in 1962 from Vivienne Segal, a Broadway musical comedy star, who lives in California

- Previously married to Therese Lewis, a writer, and to singer Margaret Whiting

Died of lung cancer at his home