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Over 75 Years of Combined Oscars Telecast Experience
Producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd today announced eight key members of the production team for the 89th Oscars®, which will air live on Sunday, February 26, on ABC. It was previously announced that Glenn Weiss would be returning as director for his second consecutive year.
“This team has over 75 years of combined experience working on Oscars telecasts,” said De Luca and Todd. “It’s truly a privilege to work alongside them.”
Rob Paine has been associated with the Oscar® telecast for over 20 years and returns as the Supervising Producer. Paine has more than 200 television events to his name and has earned four Emmy® nominations and a Peabody Award. His other credits include 11 Super Bowl Halftime Shows, “The Kennedy Center Honors” and the recent gala opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Production designer Derek McLane returns to the Oscars for a fifth consecutive year. He has earned four Emmy nominations for his work on the Oscar telecasts and won in 2014. His other television credits include “Hairspray Live!,” “The Wiz Live!,” “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Sound of Music Live!” McLane also has designed sets for several acclaimed Broadway productions; he received a Tony Award® for his work on the drama “33 Variations” as well as three nominations for musicals.
Billy Kimball returns for his second year as writer. He has previously written for the Governors Awards and was the writer on the “Independent Spirit Awards” nine times. Kimball is currently a writer and consulting producer on the HBO comedy series “Veep.” His other writing credits include “The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn,” “The Simpsons” and the documentary feature “Waiting for ‘Superman,’” which he co-wrote with Davis Guggenheim.
Also returning as writer is Jon Macks, an eight-time Emmy nominee. This is his 20th time writing on the Oscars; he has been the head writer for the hosts on seven Oscar telecasts. In addition to his work on the Oscars, Macks wrote for 22 years on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and writes for Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Martin Short.
Harold Wheeler returns for his fourth Oscar telecast. An accomplished orchestrator, composer, conductor, record producer and arranger, Wheeler has received multiple Emmy and Tony Award nominations as well as an NAACP Theatre Award for lifetime achievement. His television credits include the “People’s Choice Awards,” “AFI’s 100 Years…” series and 17 seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.” Wheeler also composed music for two Democratic National Conventions and the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics. On Broadway, he has orchestrated musicals including “Hairspray,” “The Full Monty,” “Dreamgirls,” “The Wiz” and “Promises, Promises."
Taryn Hurd rejoins the Oscar telecast team for the fourth consecutive year as Talent Producer. She also has served as talent producer on the past three Governors Awards ceremonies along with numerous variety television specials and award shows.
Lightning designer Robert Dickinson returns for his 28th Oscar show. He has won 18 Primetime Emmy Awards, including three for Oscar telecasts. Additionally, Dickinson has been honored with two Daytime Emmy Awards. His credits include “The Kennedy Center Honors,” “The Grammys,” “Primetime Emmy Awards,” “Tony Awards” and “Academy of Country Music Awards”; Olympics ceremonies in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Athens and Vancouver; the ceremonies of the European Games in Baku; and the specials “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Sound of Music Live!”
Raj Kapoor joins the Oscars for the first time designing screen content and performances. Kapoor’s recent credits include six Grammys, Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary, ABC’s “Greatest Hits” and the “Radio Disney Music Awards.” Kapoor has mounted numerous large-scale international tours for Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Soul 2 Soul, One Republic, American Idol, Jason Aldean, Shania Twain, Juanes, Jewel, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Rascal Flatts. He has also directed and produced Las Vegas residencies for Shania Twain, John Fogerty, Backstreet Boys and Mariah Carey.
The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST. The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. Additionally, “The Oscars: All Access” live stream from the red carpet and backstage will begin at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST on Oscar.com.