Jeff Margolis, an award-winning television executive producer and director known for helming live telecasts of the Oscars, Emmys and other awards shows, died Friday morning at the age of 78, according to the Screen Actors Guild.
His more than 40-year career began by holding cue cards for his uncle Monty Hall on “Let’s Make a Deal.”
Over the years, Margolis directed 22 American Music Awards, eight Academy Awards, seven SAG Awards, three Emmys, three Golden Globes Red Carpet Specials and two Academy of Country Music Awards telecasts.
He also directed “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert,” two “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” specials and countless variety specials — including for Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Midler and Cher.
Among his many awards for directing the Academy Awards are two from the Directors Guild of America, six Emmy nominations and an Emmy win for the 1995 Oscars. He also won an Emmy for directing “Sammy Davis Jr.’s 60th Anniversary Celebration.”
He executive produced the Screen Actors Guild Awards for 16 years. The SAG Awards Committee said in a statement shared with TheWrap, “Jeff Margolis created some of the most unforgettable moments in awards show history, and we are grateful that the Screen Actors Guild Awards was among them. For over 16 years, Jeff helped shape the telecast into a celebration worthy of the actors it honors. We are profoundly grateful for his contributions and will miss him dearly.”
The SAG obituary quoted Margolis talking about how much he loved his work: “The thrill I get when I’m directing is indescribable … I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning and go to work.”
Through his company, Jeff Margolis Productions, founded in 1976, he also packaged and produced entertainment and reality series for network, syndication, and cable television, including NBC’s “Fame” and VH1’s “In Search of the Partridge Family.”
He is survived by his children, Adam, Erin, and Samantha and grandchildren Max and Milo, and leaves behind a legacy of excellence, innovation and timeless television.
