Ron Weaver dies, a three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning producer who worked on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful for almost three decades, died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 75.
Weaver joined The Bold and the Beautiful as associate producer in 1986 and was instrumental in launching the series with the co-creators of the daytime soap, the late William J. Bell and his wife, Lee Phillip Bell.
Weaver rose through the ranks to
senior producer, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the series,
then became vice president of BBL Inc., the series’ distribution arm,
where he supervised international sales, operations and promotion. After
27 years, he left the show in April after sharing three Emmys for
Outstanding Drama Series.
Before The Bold and the Beautiful, Weaver served as director
of operations and production services for Children’s Television
Workshop, where he was part of the original production team that created
Sesame Street, The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Feeling Good and The Best of Families. During his 13 years at CTW, Weaver was instrumental in the launch of international co-productions of Sesame Street in Latin America.Earlier, Weaver was a producer and writer at WCBS-TV’s Eye on New York.
Weaver was an active member of the Writers Guild of America for more than 20 years. In 2010, he published his first novel, Soul Mate.
Weaver was born on June 9, 1937,
in Mishawaka, Ind. While attending high school in Dewagiac, Mich., he
worked as a ventriloquist, performing on local radio and television. He
went on to Michigan State University, where he played clarinet in the
school band and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in theater
arts.
After serving two years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Weaver moved to New York to pursue acting and study under the renowned Lee Strasberg.
He lived there for 20 years, working as a photographer and actor before
beginning his career in TV production. He settled in Los Angeles in
1983.
Survivors include his partner of 29 years, Franko E. Weaver; daughter Jen Finkle-Weaver; son Kevin Weaver, an executive vp at Atlantic Records Group; and grandchildren Ella, Taji, Kyle and Davis.
A private funeral service will be
held in Encino. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations
be made to the Three Rivers Lions Club (P.O. Box 134, Three Rivers, MI
49093) or AIDS Project Los Angeles.
