RIP Bruce Geller

 

You may not know who Bruce Geller was.

Have you ever heard of the TV show, MANNIX?

How about the pop culture classic called MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE?

The genius behind both of these shows was a man named Bruce Geller. Unfortunately, on May 21, 1978 Bruce was in a Cessna airplane accident near Santa Monica and died. He was only 47 years old.

Geller got his start writing. He began on varied shows such as "The Dick Powell Show", "Have Gun Will Travel," "The Rifleman," and "The June Allyson Show." He and his writing partner, Bernie Kowalski, produced the TV western, "Rawhide," starring Clint Eastwood, in 1964-65.

Geller created MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE in 1966. He thought of the idea for the show after seeing the movie Topkapi, wherein a group of art thieves plot a complex break-in at a museum. He re-considered these as the good guys and came up with MISSION. During the first year he won an Emmy as Producer and another for writing the pilot/premiere.

From 1968 he helped create MANNIX, starring Mike Connors and Gail Fisher. This private detective series ran until 1975. It is notable for being one of the first TV dramas to feature an African-American actress in a recurring role.

 

RIP Bruce Geller