Rebecca EatonOBE(born November 7, 1947) is an American television producer and film producer best known for introducing American audiences to British costume and countryside dramas as executive producer of thePBSMasterpieceseries.
Rebecca Eaton | |
|---|---|
 Eaton in 2015 | |
| Born | November 7, 1947 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Television producer, film producer |
| Spouse | Paul Robert Cooper (1984–present) |
In 2011, she was named one ofTimemagazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World".[1]
Early life
editEaton was born inBostonand raised inPasadena, California,her father aCaltechEnglish literature professor and her mother,Katherine Emery,an actress both on Broadway (in Lillian Hellman'sThe Children's Hour) and in film. Eaton recalls visiting New York every summer to see Broadway shows as well as spending her junior high school days lost inJane Eyre.[2]
Education
editEaton attendedPolytechnic School,[3]graduating in 1965, and thenVassar,graduating in 1969 with a BA in English literature. Her senior thesis was onJames Joyce'sDubliners.In 1969–70 she was a production assistant for theBBC World Servicein London. Returning to the U.S., she was in 1972 hired byWGBHin Boston, there producingPantechnicon(a radio arts magazine) and the television programsZoomandEnterprise.[2]
Career
editEaton became the third executive producer ofMasterpiece Theatre.Christopher Sarson was at the helm from its inception in 1971. Sarson had boughtUpstairs, Downstairsfrom ITV. Eaton succeeded the series' second executive producer, Joan Wilson, in 1985.
Under Eaton,Masterpieceextended its reach into feature film co-production for such films as Jane Austen'sPersuasionandMrs. Brownstarring DameJudi Dench.[2]
By 2011, she had been executive producer of the show for more than 25 of its 40 years on the air.[4]
Personal life
editIn 1984, Eaton married sculptor Paul Robert Cooper. Their daughter was born shortly before Eaton was named executive producer ofMasterpiece.She credits her husband's willingness to stay at home with having advanced her career.[2]
Honors
editEaton's honors include 62 Primetime Emmy Awards, 16 Peabody Awards, six Golden Globes, and two Academy Award nominations (for the Masterpiece co-productionMrs. Brown).Queen Elizabeth IIhas honored her with an honoraryOBE(Officer of the Order of the British Empire).[5]In 2011 she was one ofTimemagazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World".[4]
Television series
editSince becoming executive producer ofMasterpiecein 1985, Eaton is credited with producing for American audiences series that include:[2][4]
- Prime Suspect
- Bleak House
- The Lost Prince(WGBH)
- Inspector Morse
- Agatha Christie's Marple
- House of Cards
- Tony Hillerman'sSkinwalkers,Coyote Waits,andA Thief of Time
- The Complete Jane Austen
- Cranford(WGBH)
- Wallander
- Little Dorrit
- Sherlock
- Downton Abbey(WGBH)
- Upstairs, Downstairs(remake)
- Endeavour
References
edit- ^"Rebecca Eaton - The 2011 TIME 100".Time.April 21, 2011.RetrievedDecember 22,2015.
- ^abcdeThe Paley Center for Media,"Rebecca Eaton: Television Producer"
- ^"2012: Rebecca Eaton '65".
- ^abcGillian Anderson,"Rebecca Eaton, TV Producer",Time,April 21, 2011.
- ^PBS,"PBS Honors Rebecca Eaton, Masterpiece Executive Producer, with 'Be More' Award
External links
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