Harry Friedman

Harry Friedman is an American television industry executive. He has been the executive producer of America's highest-rated syndicated game shows, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, since 1999.

Friedman has produced a combined total of more than 5,500 episodes of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Friedman introduced a number of new gameplay elements, theme weeks, and technological advances to both programs, and in 2006 he led both shows to make television history by becoming the first syndicated television series to broadcast in high definition.

Jeopardy!

As a producer of Jeopardy!, Friedman broadened the program's scope by expanding the list of categories, adding clues reflecting popular culture, and introducing a variety of special tournaments.

For the show's twentieth season in 2003, Friedman lifted not only Jeopardy!'s cap on the returning champions' total winnings, but also the long-standing five-day limit on the number of episodes on which they could appear. His implementation of this rule change allowed champions to continue making an indefinite number of appearances on the program and amassing winnings as long as they remained victorious, leading the way for Ken Jennings, at the time a software engineer from Salt Lake City, Utah, to win on 74 consecutive Jeopardy! programs (losing on his 75th) and amass a record total of $2,520,700, breaking almost every game show record in the history of American television. The quiz show's viewership increased by 30 percent during the streak, and it often out-performed even prime-time programs to become one of the most talked-about shows in the United States. Friedman also then produced the Ulimate Tournament of Champions, in which 145 former chamions played; Jennings, seeded as the only automatic finalist, came in second to Brad Rutter; Jerome Vered placed third. Friedman continues to add new Jeopardy formats, such as the 2009-2010 Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational, in which 27 former celebrity players competed, and in which Michael McKean won one million dollars for his charity; and, in 2011, both the Teachers' Tournament and the IBM Challenge, in which IBM's computer system Watson defeated both Jennings and Rutter.

Clue Crew

In 2001, Friedman was instrumental in the formation of Jeopardy!'s "Clue Crew," a team of roving correspondents who travel the world showcasing clues accompanied by video for the show's home viewers. As of 2011, the team has traveled to 200 cities worldwide, through 45 of the 50 U.S. states, and to 33 foreign countries.

Friedman's explanation of the reasoning behind the team's creation was as follows:

TV is a visual medium, and the more visual we can make our clues, the more we think it will enhance the experience for the viewer.

The team currently comprises Sarah Whitcomb, Jimmy McGuire, and Kelly Miyahara. Former members include Sofia Lidskog, Cheryl Farrell, and Jon Cannon.

Internet

Friedman plays a very active role in the show's official website, which receives over 400,000 visitors per month.

Wheel of Fortune

During his tenure with Wheel of Fortune, Friedman has attempted to keep the show fresh and exciting by introducing many new elements to the game, such as Toss-Up puzzles, brand integration opportunities, the Jackpot Round, the Mystery Round, the $100,000 Bonus Round, the Wild Card, the Million Dollar Bonus Wedge, and most recently, the Free Play wedge.

Friedman was responsible for many of Wheel's digital extensions, including the launch of the show's official website, and the development of video games based on the show for Sony's PlayStation consoles and Nintendo's Wii. He also conceived adaptations of the show for the iPhone, the iPad, and other electronic devices.

A major technological advancement initiated by Friedman was the introduction of a new, highly sophisticated set in 2003. This set incorporates an LED and glass light extension, as well as a modernized puzzle board with LCD screens that can be touched by the hostess to make letters appear.

The show's "Wheel Watchers Club," the first-ever, long-term, online viewer loyalty program in television history (now totaling over 5.7 million members), and its extension, the "SPIN I.D." program, were both developed by Friedman. Additionally, he conceptualized the "Wheelmobile," a mobile touring vehicle used by the show to conduct contestant search events across the United States.

Awards and honors

Since Friedman joined Jeopardy!, the show has come to receive the most awards and honors of any syndicated game show in television history. As of 2011, the program has won a total of 28 Daytime Emmy Awards in the following categories: Outstanding Show, Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show, Outstanding Special Class Writing, Outstanding Game Show Host, and Outstanding Directing For A Game/Audience Participation Show.

Friedman has won seven Emmy Awards and been nominated for thirty additional ones. In January 2007, the National Association of Television Program Executives honored him with its prestigious "Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award," and in October of that same year, Broadcasting & Cable inducted him into its Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Friedman was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He developed an early fascination with television programming and personalities, including Johnny Carson when he was a young local celebrity. Long before the conception of student internships, Friedman began working for Omaha's first television stations, doing whatever work management permitted.

In 1971, Friedman moved to Los Angeles, and without contacts he gave himself six months to find a job in the business. With less than 24 hours remaining on his self-imposed deadline, Friedman became a part-time question writer on the TV game show The Hollywood Squares, and continued with that show for eleven years, writing and producing thousands of episodes for three different versions of the show. He was also involved in the development of such other programs as Gambit and High Rollers. Friedman became a producer for Wheel of Fortune in 1995, and added producer duties for Jeopardy! in 1997.

In the late 1990s, Friedman launched two spin-offs of Jeopardy!: a music-intensive version called Rock & Roll Jeopardy! which aired on the VH1 network from 1998 to 2001, and a kids' version called Jep!, which aired on the Game Show Network (now known by its abbreviated name, "GSN") for one season from 1998 to 1999. Friedman's other writing and producing credits include network primetime specials such as American Yearbook for CBS, documentaries such as Nova on PBS, and home video. He has also worked with other television production companies such as FOX, Dick Clark Productions, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Buena Vista Television, ABC, Orion Television, Bob Stewart Productions, Laurel Entertainment, Vin Di Bona Productions, A&E Network, Krofft Productions, Rosner Television, and Four Star Productions.

Friedman is a member of the Writers Guild of America, West and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Judy, their two daughters, and a granddaughter.

External links

• Harry Friedman's biography on the Jeopardy! website
• Harry Friedman's biography on the Wheel of Fortune website
• Harry Friedman at IMDb