Chuck Lorre

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Chuck Lorre
Chuck Lorre at PaleyFest 2013.jpg
Lorre at PaleyFest 2013
Born
Charles Michael Levine

(1952-10-18) October 18, 1952 (age 68)
Plainview, New York, U.S.
OccupationDirector, Writer, producer, composer
Years active1984–present
Notable work
Grace Under Fire
Cybill
Dharma & Greg
Two and a Half Men
The Big Bang Theory
Mike & Molly
Mom
Young Sheldon
The Kominsky Method
Bob Hearts Abishola
B Positive
United States of Al
Spouse(s)
Paula Smith
​
​
(m. 1979; div. 1992)​
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2010)​
Arielle Mandelson
​
​
(m. 2018)​
Children2
Websitechucklorre.com

Charles Michael "Chuck" Lorre (/ˈlɔːri/;[1] born October 18, 1952)[2][3] is an American television director, writer, producer, composer, and actor.

Called the "King of Sitcoms" during the 2010s,[4][5][6][7][8] he has created and produced sitcoms including Grace Under Fire, Cybill, Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly, Mom, Young Sheldon, The Kominsky Method, Disjointed, Bob Hearts Abishola, B Positive, and United States of Al. He also served as an executive producer of Roseanne. He won Golden Globe Awards for Roseanne (1993) and Cybill (1996),[9] and won the 2019 Golden Globe Award for The Kominsky Method.

Early life[]

Charles Michael Levine was born in Plainview, New York, to a Jewish family. He was given the Hebrew name Chaim.[10][11][12] His father, Robert,[13] opened a luncheonette that did poorly, which caused financial problems. After graduating from high school, Lorre attended State University of New York at Potsdam, dropping out after two years to pursue a career as a songwriter.[3] During his two years at college he "majored in rock 'n' roll and pot and minored in LSD." In 2011, he admitted to drinking heavily in his past, telling Entertainment Weekly (EW) that he "led a dissolute youth until 47." He was in recovery at the time.[14] Substance related issues are also a recurring theme in his work.

He changed his surname from Levine to Lorre at age 26.[1]

Career[]

After leaving school, Lorre toured across the United States as a guitarist and songwriter.[15] He wrote the song "French Kissin' in the USA," which Deborah Harry later recorded for her 1986 Rockbird album.[15] It became a UK Top 10 hit. In the early 1980s he turned to writing scripts for animated shows, his first project being the DIC version of Heathcliff.[16] Later, Lorre co-wrote the soundtrack to the 1987 television series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Dennis Challen Brown.[17][18][19] In the late 1980s, Lorre shifted into writing for sitcoms, and joined the writing staff on Roseanne. Though he was fired over irreconcilable creative differences, Lorre's time on Roseanne impressed producers, and led to his creating his first show, Frannie's Turn. It was cancelled after 5 weeks.[15][20]

Lorre in 2007

Lorre's second show as creator, Grace Under Fire, starred comedian Brett Butler.[15] It premiered on ABC in 1993, and was nominated at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. His next show was Cybill, starring Cybill Shepherd. The show aired for four seasons on CBS and received critical acclaim, winning a Primetime Emmy Award in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for co-star Christine Baranski. The show also won two Golden Globe Awards in 1996 for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for Cybill Shepherd. During that time, he signed a deal with Carsey-Werner Productions in 1994.[21] He then moved to 20th Century Fox in 1995 to create the next project.[22]

Dharma & Greg was the fourth show Lorre created, in partnership with Dottie Zicklin (credited as Dottie Dartland), which premiered one year before the end of Cybill in 1997.[3] (Lorre had left Cybill in season two.) The show starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as the title characters, whose personalities were complete opposites: Dharma's world view being more spiritual, 'free spirit' type instilled by "hippie" parents, contrasted with Greg's world view of structure, social status requirements, and "white collar duty" instilled by his generations of affluent parents/ancestors.[23] The show earned eight Golden Globe nominations, six Emmy Award nominations, and six Satellite Awards nominations.[24] The show earned Elfman a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1999.[23] In order to move to the next project, he signed an overall deal with Warner Bros. Television in 2000, a longtime staple of what is now today.[25]

Following that, Lorre created his fifth show, Two and a Half Men with co-creator Lee Aronsohn. The show focuses on two Harper brothers, Charlie and Alan. Charlie is a rich, successful Hollywood composer/producer and womanizer who owns a beach house in Malibu. When Alan gets a divorce, he is forced to move into Charlie's house. Alan also has a growing son, Jake (Angus T. Jones), the "half" who comes to visit Charlie and Alan on weekends. Two and a Half Men premiered on CBS in 2003 and became the highest-rated sitcom in America.[3][15] In 2011, CBS put the show on hiatus following several incidents of production shutdowns allegedly due to Charlie Sheen's serious problems related to drug and alcohol abuse, which culminated in his insulting verbal attacks directed at Lorre during a radio interview.[26][27] Sheen was fired from the show and filed a $100 million lawsuit against Lorre and Warner Bros. Television for wrongful termination.[28][29] Lorre killed off Sheen's character and hired Ashton Kutcher as his replacement for the show's later four seasons.

Lorre's next show was The Big Bang Theory with co-creator Bill Prady. The show follows two genius physicists with very low social skills who befriend their neighbor, an attractive, outgoing young woman with average intelligence and no college education. Each episode usually focuses on the daily lives of the men and two of their equally socially challenged yet highly brilliant friends, with a dose of absurdity from the relationship with their less educated, but socially brilliant, neighbor. The two main protagonists, Sheldon and Leonard, are named after the actor and television producer Sheldon Leonard.[30] The show premiered on CBS in 2007 and was the highest rated comedy series in the United States.[15]

Lorre was executive producer of Mike & Molly, created by Mark Roberts, which premiered on CBS in September 2010.[31] His seventh show, created with Gemma Baker and Eddie Gorodetsky, Mom, premiered on CBS on September 23, 2013.[32] On March 13, 2014, CBS announced the second season renewal of Mom. The show has since run for six seasons, with CBS renewing it for two more in 2019.[33]

Controversy surrounding United States of Al, a show produced by Lorre for CBS. Released to mostly negative reviews, United States of Al and its makers were criticized for the show’s humor, use of antiquated tropes, and in particular, critics called out the casting of a South-African-born Indian actor to play an Afghan lead and his use of an inauthentic accent.[34]

Vanity cards[]

An example of the vanity card, used in 2021 for United States of Al.

The unique vanity cards for Chuck Lorre Productions have become a "trademark" for Lorre.[35][36] Typically, on the end of every episode of his productions beginning with Dharma & Greg (an Apple Macintosh computer was used for Lorre's production card on Grace Under Fire and Cybill), Lorre includes a different message that usually reads like an editorial, essay, or observation on life. A typical card might include a range of topics as diverse as what the Bee Gees never learned, the cancellation of Dharma & Greg, his support of Barack Obama, the competence of AOL Time Warner management, and the genesis of Two and a Half Men.

The card is shown for only a few seconds at most, so longer messages cannot be read unless recorded and paused, although Lorre now posts the cards on his website. CBS has censored Lorre's vanity cards on several occasions;[37] Lorre posts both the censored and uncensored versions of the cards.

During Charlie Sheen's controversial departure from Two and a Half Men in 2011, Lorre referenced Sheen in several cards.[36] Lorre used the vanity card for the series finale, "Of Course He's Dead", to address the circumstances of Sheen's absence from the episode.

Lorre published a compilation of his vanity cards in a coffee table book titled What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Bitter, released on October 16, 2012.[38] The book takes its title from Vanity Card #1, which first aired following the first episode of Dharma & Greg on September 24, 1997.[39]

During The Big Bang Theory episode titled "The Hook-Up Reverberation" Vanity card #463 was displayed. Vanity card #463 discussed Lorre's lost or matured angst along with the news that he will stop writing the vanity cards. Vanity card #464 was displayed in the next episode stating it was his last and that he felt like they would not be missed. However, he resumed his cards; Vanity card #493 on March 5, 2015, featured a tribute to the late Leonard Nimoy, who had guest starred on the show as the voice of Sheldon's conscience three years before.[40] In 2017 with the premiere of Disjointed, for the first time since Dharma & Greg premiered in 1997, a new show of Lorre's did not use his traditional Vanity Card. Instead a standard production logo was used. The vanity cards have since reappeared on Lorre's Netflix original series, The Kominsky Method.

Selected credits[]

Lorre in September 2008
Title Year Credited as Network
Creator Director Writer Executive

Producer

Pole Position 1984 No No Yes No CBS
M.A.S.K. 1985 No No Yes No Syndicated
Muppet Babies 1985 No No Yes No CBS
MoonDreamers 1986 No No Yes No Syndicated
Defenders of the Earth 1986–1987 No No Yes No Syndicated
Charles in Charge 1987 No No Yes No CBS
My Two Dads 1987–1990 No No Yes No NBC
The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil 1988 No No Yes No ABC
Roseanne 1990–2018 No No Yes Yes ABC
Toxic Crusaders 1991 No No Yes No Syndicated
Frannie's Turn 1992 Yes No Yes Yes CBS
Grace Under Fire 1993–1998 Yes No Yes Yes ABC
Cybill 1995–1998 Yes No Yes Yes CBS
Dharma & Greg 1997–2002 Yes Yes Yes Yes ABC
Two and a Half Men 2003–2015 Yes Yes Yes Yes CBS
The Big Bang Theory 2007–2019 Yes No Yes Yes CBS
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 2008 No No Yes No CBS
Mike & Molly 2010–2016 No No Yes Yes CBS
Mom 2013–2021 Yes No Yes Yes CBS
Disjointed 2017–2018 Yes No Yes Yes Netflix
Young Sheldon 2017–present Yes No Yes Yes CBS
The Kominsky Method 2018–2021 Yes Yes Yes Yes Netflix
Bob Hearts Abishola[41] 2019–present Yes No Yes Yes CBS
B Positive[42] 2020–present No No Yes Yes CBS
United States of Al[43] 2021–present No No Yes Yes CBS

Awards and recognition[]

Lorre won BMI Television Music Awards in 2004,[44] 2005,[45] 2008[46] and 2009[47] for Two and a Half Men.

On March 12, 2009, Lorre received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.[48]

Three months later, Lorre received an honorary degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam and gave a keynote address at the graduation.[49]

Lorre was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in March 2012.[50][51]

Lorre won Golden Globe Awards for Roseanne (1993) and Cybill (1996).[52]

In 2019, Lorre received the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy for his show The Kominsky Method.[53]

Also in 2019, Lorre was awarded the Critics' Choice Award for Creative Achievement.[54]

Personal life[]

Lorre was first married to his business partner, Paula Smith, in 1979. The business partnership and marriage were dissolved after 13 years and the birth of their two children.[55]

Lorre was married to actress and former Playboy Playmate Karen Witter for 10 years before their divorce in July 2010.[13][56]

From 2010 to 2011, Lorre was in a relationship with Emmanuelle Vaugier, a Canadian actress and model, who appeared in twelve episodes of Two and a Half Men as a ballet teacher and the main character's love interest.

In September 2018, Lorre married his current wife, Arielle Mandelson.

He has publicly discussed his decades of struggle with the autoimmune disease ulcerative colitis, as well as depression, worry, and anger/rage. Lorre stated in an interview: "Put me in paradise and I will focus on the one thing that will make me angry." In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said, "I am wired on some deep level to seek out something to be worried and obsess about."[57]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "CHUCK LEVINE PRODUCTIONS, #119". May 17, 2004. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  2. ^ "CLP - Vanity Cards #64". www.chucklorre.com. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Rice, Lynette (December 8, 2006). "It Hurts to Laugh". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  4. ^ Keller, Joel (25 August 2017). "How Chuck Lorre, Network Sitcom King, Wound Up on Netflix".
  5. ^ "Sitcom king Chuck Lorre's wit and wisdom, gathered from the TV screen and put between covers". 24 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Q&A: Chuck Lorre". 11 March 2009.
  7. ^ Schneider, Michael (6 September 2017). "Chuck Lorre on Following Up 'Mom' With a Pot Comedy, and How Making a Single-Camera Comedy Is Torture".
  8. ^ "King of comedy". 6 February 2011.
  9. ^ "Golden Globes - Chuck Lorre". Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  10. ^ "CLP - Vanity Cards".
  11. ^ Pilkington, Ed (25 February 2011). "Two and a Half Men axed after rant leaves Sheen looking a proper Charlie". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  12. ^ Hibberd, James (25 February 2011). "Charlie Sheen decoded: Where 'Chaim Levine' comes from". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Rice, Lynette (January 8, 2007). "Why is Chuck Lorre so angry?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  14. ^ "E! All You Need to Know About Charlie Sheen's Nemesis". March 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Bissell, Tom (2010-11-29). "A Simple Medium". The New Yorker. No. December 6, 2010. pp. 34–41. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  16. ^ Lorre, Chuck (February 25, 2012). "Chuck Lorre Interview Part 1 of 4 (19:35)" (Interview). Interviewed by Nancy Harrington. Pacific Palisades, CA: Archive of American Television. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  17. ^ "Vanity Card #165". chucklorre.com. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  18. ^ "Vanity Card #243". chucklorre.com. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
  19. ^ Chuck Lorre. "MUSIC - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Retrieved 2010-05-19.
  20. ^ "Frannie's Turn - Full Cast and Credits - 1992". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  21. ^ Lowry, Brian (1994-03-24). "Lorre signs deal with Carsey-Werner". Variety. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  22. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (1997-12-02). "Newman reups deal at Fox TV". Variety. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  23. ^ Jump up to: a b "IMDB Dharma & Greg". Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  24. ^ Keveney, Bill (2013-03-07). "The 'Big Bang' boom propels hit sitcom". USA Today. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  25. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (2012-09-05). "Chuck Lorre jumps into 'bigger sandbox'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  26. ^ Hinckley, David (February 28, 2011). "Charlie Sheen, Stan Rosenfield cut ties: Long-time publicist quits amid actor's public meltdown". New York Daily News. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  27. ^ Carr, David (February 28, 2011). "Insulting Chuck Lorre, Not Abuse, Gets Sheen Sidelined". The New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  28. ^ "Charlie Sheen fired from Two and a Half Men TV show". BBC Online. March 7, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  29. ^ "Sacked star Charlie Sheen sues sitcom makers". BBC Online. March 11, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  30. ^ "The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon and Leonard By on". American Profile. July 12, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  31. ^ "Mike and Molly". Metacritic. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  32. ^ "Chuck Lorre's CBS pilot 'Mom' to get series order". 2013-05-08. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  33. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (March 13, 2014). "CBS Renews 'The Good Wife', 'The Millers', 'Two and a Half Men', 'Hawaii Five-0', 'Mom', 'Blue Bloods', 'Elementary' and 11 More". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  34. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 21, 2021). "'United States of Al' Blasted For Handling Of Afghan Character; Reza Aslan Defends CBS Sitcom: "You Can't Judge A Show By A 30 Second Trailer"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  35. ^ Lesley Goldberg (October 7, 2014). "Is Chuck Lorre Done With Vanity Cards? Maybe Not". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b Paige Feigenbaum (February 28, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE: Charlie Sheen: Lawyers Examining Chuck Lorre's Vanity Cards As Legal Fight Looms, Tells 'Men' Creator 'Oops!'". Radar Online. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  37. ^ Malcolm, Shawna (10 March 2009). "Vanity cards let Lorre sound off". Variety. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  38. ^ Lorre, Chuck (2012-10-16). What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Bitter: Chuck Lorre: 9781451679755: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN 978-1451679755.
  39. ^ "CLP - Vanity Card #01". chucklorre.com. 2007-09-24. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  40. ^ Patrick Kevin Day (March 6, 2015). "'The Big Bang Theory's' Leonard Nimoy tribute was in the cards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  41. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 5, 2018). "Chuck Lorre Comedy 'Bob ♡'s Abishola' Starring Billy Gardell Set At CBS With Pilot Production Commitment". Deadline. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  42. ^ Petski, Denise (January 23, 2020). "Chuck Lorre Kidney Donor Comedy 'B Positive' Gets Pilot Order At CBS". Deadline. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  43. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 10, 2019). "Chuck Lorre Comedy About U.S. Veteran & His Afghan Friend From 'Big Bang' Duo Gets Big CBS Commitment". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  44. ^ "2004 BMI Film/TV Awards". bmi.com. 12 May 2004. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  45. ^ "2005 BMI Film/TV Awards". bmi.com. 18 May 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  46. ^ "2008 BMI Film/TV Awards". bmi.com. 21 May 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  47. ^ "2009 BMI Film & Television Music Awards Winners". bmi.com. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  48. ^ "Chuck Lorre receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame". Variety. 14 March 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  49. ^ ""Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre to speak at SUNY undergrad commencement". The State University of New York at Potsdam. 12 Feb 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  50. ^ "Television Academy to Induct New Hall of Fame Honorees March 1". Television Academy. emmys.com. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  51. ^ "TV Academy Adds Nine To Hall Of Fame". Deadline Hollywood. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  52. ^ "Golden Globes - Chuck Lorre". Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  53. ^ "Chuck Lorre wins a best comedy award after 23 years". Entertainment Weekly. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  54. ^ "Critics' Choice Awards: 'Roma,' 'Americans,' 'Mrs. Maisel' Top Winners". Hollywood Reporter. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  55. ^ "How to Create a Hit Sitcom". chucklorre.com. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  56. ^ "All You Need to Know About Charlie Sheen Nemesis Chuck Lorre". E!. March 11, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  57. ^ "Entertainment Weekly". All You Need to Know About Charlie Sheen's Nemesis. March 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2013.

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