Steven E. Levitan (born April 6, 1962) is an American television producer, director, and screenwriter. He has created such television series as Just Shoot Me!, Stark Raving Mad, Stacked, Back to You, and Modern Family.
Levitan was raised Jewish in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] He attended Glenbrook South High School and University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1980 to 1984, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. He is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Career[]
Levitan worked as a WKOW-TV on-air news reporter and morning anchorman in Madison, Wisconsin,[3] and as a copywriter at Leo Burnett Advertising in Chicago. He moved to Hollywood in 1989.
As executive producer, Levitan won an Emmy Award in 1996 for Frasier in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. He was also nominated in that same year for Outstanding Writing in Comedy Series category for The Larry Sanders Show. He was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series category for Just Shoot Me! and two more as executive producer. Levitan won the Humanitas Prize (for writers whose work best communicates and encourages human values) in 1996 for the Frasier episode titled "Breaking the Ice". Levitan has also won a CableACE Award and a Writers Guild nomination for The Larry Sanders Show. He also garnered a Producers Guild Award and a Television Critics Association Award for Frasier, a People’s Choice Award for Stark Raving Mad and a Golden Globe nomination for Just Shoot Me!
His company, Steven Levitan Productions, has produced the series Just Shoot Me!, Stark Raving Mad, Greg the Bunny, Oliver Beene and Stacked.
Levitan and television writer/producer Christopher Lloyd joined as partners in 2006 and together created a production company named "Picture Day". It is under this company that they produced their co-creations Back to You and Modern Family. In 2010, Modern Family won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as two other Emmy Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in Comedy Series for Eric Stonestreet, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd.[4] He has also earned Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series nominations for Modern Family episodes "See You Next Fall" (2011) and "Baby on Board" (2012), winning the latter.[5]
On June 19, 2018, Levitan, along with Seth MacFarlane and Judd Apatow, announced he was considering leaving 20th Century Fox as protest of Fox News's reporting of Donald Trump's family separation policy which is at odds with Modern Family's programming.[6]
Personal life[]
Levitan was married to his wife Krista from 1992 to 2018.[1] They have three children, two daughters Hannah and Allie, and a son, Griffin.
In July 2021, Levitan became engaged to Kristina Maria McElligott.[7]
James Allardice & Jack Douglas & Hal Kanter & Harry Winkler for The George Gobel Show (1955)
Arnold M. Auerbach & Barry Blitzer & Vincent Bogert & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Harvey Orkin & Arnold Rosen & Terry Ryan & Tony Webster for The Phil Silvers Show (1956)
No Award (1957)
Billy Friedberg & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Arnold Rosen & A.J. Russell & Terry Ryan & Phil Sharp & Tony Webster & Sydney Zelinka for The Phil Silvers Show (1958)
George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1959)
1960s
George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1960)
Dave O'Brien & Martin Ragaway & Sherwood Schwartz & Al Schwartz & Red Skelton for The Red Skelton Show (1961)
Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1962)
Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963)
No Award (1964)
No Award (1965)
Sam Denoff & Bill Persky for "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" (1966)
Buck Henry & Leonard B. Stern for "Ship of Spies: Parts 1 and 2" (1967)
Allan Burns & Chris Hayward for "The Coming Out Party" (1968)
No Award (1969)
1970s
No Award (1970)
James L. Brooks & Allan Burns for "Support Your Local Mother" (1971)
Burt Styler for "Edith's Problem" (1972)
Lee Kalcheim & Michael Ross & Bernie West for "The Bunkers and the Swingers" (1973)
Treva Silverman for "The Lou and Edie Story" (1974)
Stan Daniels & Ed. Weinberger for "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?" (1975)
Larry Rhine & Mel Tolkin for "Archie Gets the Business" (1977)
Gary David Goldberg for "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (1978)
Thad Mumford & Dan Wilcox for "Are You Now, Margaret?" / Ken Estin for "The Reluctant Fighter" (1979)
1980s
Dennis Koenig & Gene Reynolds for "Heal Thyself" (1980)
Nat Mauldin for "Stormy Weather" (1981)
Stephen Neigher & Tony Sheehan for "Hunger Strike" (1982)
David Isaacs & Ken Levine for "The Boys in the Bar" / Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1983)
Michael J. Weithorn for "Sumner's Return" (1984)
Glenn Gordon Caron for "Pilot" (Moonlighting) / Elias Davis & David Pollock for "Madison Avenue Madness" (1985)
Bob Randall for "Allie's Affair" (1986)
Jay Tarses for "Here's Why Cosmetics Should Come in Unbreakable Bottles" / Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger for "A, My Name is Alex" / Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan for "'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas" (1987)
Carol Black & Neal Marlens for "My Father's Office" (1988)
Todd W. Langen for "Coda" (1989)
1990s
Diane English for "Brown Like Me" (1990)
David Isaacs & Ken Levine for "Rat Girl" (1991)
Diane English & Korby Siamis for "Uh-Oh: Part II" (1992)
Larry David for "The Contest" (1993)
Larry David & Lawrence H. Levy for "The Mango" (1994)