Tom Whedon
Tom Whedon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thomas Avery Whedon[1] August 3, 1932 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 2016 (aged 83) |
| Alma mater | Phillips Exeter Academy (1955) |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Spouse(s) | Ann Lee (Jeffries) Stearns (divorced) Pam Webber |
| Children | 5, including Joss, Jed, and Zack Whedon |
| Parent(s) | John Whedon Louise Carroll Angell |
Thomas Avery "Tom" Whedon (August 3, 1932 – March 23, 2016) was an American television screenwriter.
Life and career
Whedon was born in New York City, New York.[2] He was the son of Louise Carroll (Angell) and 1950s TV screenwriter John Whedon.[3][4][5] He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1955. He and his first wife, political activist Ann Lee (née Jeffries) Stearns, are the parents of sons Samuel (b. 1960) and Matthew Thomas (b. 1962), and film and TV screenwriter Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Marvel's The Avengers).[3] Tom and his second wife, Pam Webber, are the parents of screenwriter and musician Jed Whedon (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog) and scriptwriter Zack Whedon (Fringe, Deadwood).
He was an original writer for the 1950-60s children's television show Captain Kangaroo.[3][4]
As early as 1964, he collaborated with Jon Stone on a concept for a puppet-centered children's television series using the fairy-tale Cinderella as a basis. During this process, they became acquainted with the creative, but then relatively unknown, Jim Henson and his Muppets. The trio went on to make the Hey, Cinderella! TV special for ABC in 1970.[3]
In the 1970s, Tom Whedon (along with Stone) worked for the Children's Television Workshop, becoming head writer for the award winning show The Electric Company.[3] Additional writing credits include the more adult fare of The Dick Cavett Show, Benson, Alice, and The Golden Girls.[3][4]
Whedon died on March 23, 2016, surrounded by family, according to an Instagram post by his son Jed Whedon.[6]
References
- ^ "Tom Whedon, TV Writer-Producer and Father of Joss Whedon, Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "Tom Whedon". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Lavery, David (2014). "1 Television Son". Joss Whedon, A Creative Portrait: From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to The Avengers. I.B.Taurus & Co Ltd. pp. 32–34. ISBN 978-1848850309.
- ^ a b c Havens, Candace (May 2003). Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy. BenBella Books, Inc. pp. 3. ISBN 978-1932100006.
- ^ Pascale, Amy (1 August 2014). "Joss Whedon: The Biography". Chicago Review Press. Retrieved 25 June 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Jed Whedon (@misterkarate) • Instagram photos and videos". Retrieved March 24, 2016.
External links
- Tom Whedon at IMDb
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