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Michael Zinberg
Michael Zinberg
Born	Michael Allan Zinberg; March 22, 1944 (age 80); Bexar County, Texas
Alma mater	University of Texas at Austin
Occupation(s)	Television Director; TV Producer; TV Writer; Former TV Executive
Years active	1971–present
Spouse	Leslie Zinberg (m. 1969)

Michael Allan Zinberg (born March 22, 1944)^[1] is an American television director, producer and writer.

Early life and education

Zinberg was born in Bexar County, Texas to Dorothy (née Rissien) and William Zinberg.^[1]

Zinberg graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas. In 1977, he earned a B.S. in radio-television-film from Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin.^[2]

Career

Zinberg moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1968, with his first job as an usher at CBS Television City. He worked his way up to become a production assistant and then a writer, eventually working as an Associate Producer on the James Garner TV show Nichols.^[3]

In 1972, Zinberg joined the MTM Productions television production company that was founded by Mary Tyler Moore's husband, Grant Tinker. While at MTM Productions he wrote, produced and directed The Bob Newhart Show for six seasons,^[4] as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among other popular TV shows of the 1970s and 1980s.^[3]

From 1979 to 1981, Zinberg was VP Production Development at NBC, where he was responsible for Hill Street Blues and Cheers as well as other programs.^[3]

From 1993 to 1995, Zinberg was President of NBC Productions, where he oversaw Homicide: Life on the Street, JAG and all NBC late-night programming.^[3]^[5]

As of 2023^[update], Zinberg was still producing or directing episodes of TV series, such as directing the April 2023 season 20 episode "Head Games" of the series NCIS – his 23 episode, having started on that series with the November 2003 season 1 episode "Sub Rosa".

Personal life

Zinberg has been married to Leslie S. Fierman, a writer and designer, since 1969.^[6]

Filmography

Selected work

1971–1972: Nichols - Assistant Producer, 24 episodes
1972–1974: The Mary Tyler Moore Show - Associate Producer, 24 episodes; Assistant Producer, 24 episodes
1972–1978: The Bob Newhart Show - Associate Producer, 75 episodes; Producer, 33 episodes; Executive Producer, 22 episodes; Director, 15 episodes
1976–1978: The Tony Randall Show - Director, 5 episodes
1982–1983: Taxi - Director, 6 episodes
1978–1979: WKRP in Cincinnati - Director, 4 episodes
1983–1984: The Yellow Rose - Executive Producer, 22 episodes
1987–1988: L.A. Law - Director, 2 episodes
1989–1990: Midnight Caller - Director - 3 episodes
1990–1991: Quantum Leap - Co-Executive Producer, 24 episodes; Director, 9 episodes
1996–1998: JAG - Co-Executive Producer, 7 episodes; Director, 2 episodes
1996–1997: Men Behaving Badly - Director, 16 episodes
1999–2002: Everybody Loves Raymond - Director, 5 episodes
1999–2004: The Practice - Director, 8 episodes
2003–2009: Monk - Director, 5 episodes
2003–2023: NCIS - Director, 23 episodes
2004–2005: Gilmore Girls - Director, 6 episodes
2008–2010: Private Practice - Director, 5 episodes
2009–2010: Lie to Me - Director, 4 episodes
2010–2011: Rizzoli & Isles - Executive Producer, 15 episodes; Director, 5 episodes
2010–2016: The Good Wife - Director, 15 episodes
2012–2013: 90210 - Director, 4 episodes
2013: Franklin & Bash - Director, 1 episode
2014: The Michael J. Fox Show - Director, 1 episode
2014: Star-Crossed - Director, 1 episode
2014: The Blacklist - Director, 2 episodes
2014–2016: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Director, 2 episodes
2014–2019: NCIS: New Orleans - Director, 13 episodes
2015–2016: The Carmichael Show - Director, 3 episodes
2015–2016: Aquarius - Director, 3 episodes
2015–2016: Rosewood - Director, 2 episodes
2017: Young Sheldon - Director, 2 episodes
2017–2018: The Good Fight - Director, 2 episodes
2020: Evil - Director, 1 episode

Honors

Emmys

1977: Outstanding Comedy Series, The Bob Newhart Show (CBS)^[7]
1991: Outstanding Drama Series, Quantum Leap (NBC)^[7]
1992: Outstanding Drama Series, Quantum Leap (NBC)^[7]

Zinberg has won the following awards and has served on the following bodies:

The Lifetime Achievement Award from The Caucus of Writers, Producers and Directors
Board Member, The Western Directors Council
Co-Chair of the DGA Television Creative Rights Committee
1983: The Young Texas Exes Award, University of Texas at Austin
1994: The College of Communication Outstanding Alumnus Award, University of Texas at Austin
UT College of Communication Foundation Advisory Council, University of Texas at Austin