Jeffrey Steven Franklin (born January 21, 1955)
is an American screenwriter, director and producer.
He is best known for being the creator of the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
sitcom ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'' and its
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
sequel ''
Fuller House''.
Early life
Franklin was born in
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...
,
and raised in a Jewish family.. In 1976 Franklin graduated from the
University of the Pacific. He studied media production at
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
while working as a
substitute teacher
A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a school class when the regular teacher is absent or unavailable; e.g., because of illness, personal leave, maternal leave and so on. "Substitute teacher" (usually abbreviated as "sub") is the most co ...
in his hometown, before becoming a writer.
Career
Franklin began his television career as a writer and producer for ''
Laverne & Shirley
''Laverne & Shirley'' (originally ''Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney'') is an American sitcom television series that played for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of ''Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' star ...
'' and ''
Bosom Buddies
''Bosom Buddies'' is an American television sitcom starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari created by Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Chris Thompson ( Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions). It aired on Thursday nights for two seasons on ABC fr ...
''. Franklin pitched his own show to
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
called "House of Comics" which featured three comics living together. ABC was looking for a family sitcom, so Franklin added children and the idea evolved into the show ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'', which ran on the ABC network from 1987 to 1995.
During ''Full House'', Franklin created ''
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'', starring comedian
Mark Curry.
Franklin departed for ''Hanging with Mr. Cooper'' in September 1992.
His other TV credits include both writing and production on shows such as, ''
It's Garry Shandling's Show
''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American sitcom that was initially broadcast on Showtime from September 10, 1986 to May 25, 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The series is notable for breaking the fourth wall.
S ...
'', and ''
Malcolm & Eddie
''Malcolm & Eddie'' is an American sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996, on UPN, and ran for four seasons, airing its final episode on May 22, 2000. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. The program was ...
''. He also wrote, produced and directed the first
Olsen twins
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986), also known as the Olsen twins as a duo, are American fashion designers and former actresses. The twins made their acting debut as infants playing Michelle Tanner on the television s ...
movie, ''
To Grandmother's House We Go
''To Grandmother's House We Go'' is a 1992 made-for-television Christmas film directed by Jeff Franklin and starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The film's title comes from a part of one of the first lines of Lydia Maria Child's Thanksgiving so ...
''. By 1991, Jeff Franklin had received a deal with Lorimar, but the pact was terminated in 1993 so that he could become an independent producer. In 1997, he had signed a deal with Columbia TriStar Television.
Franklin's most notable film writing credits include the teen comedies ''
Just One of the Guys
''Just One of the Guys'' is a 1985 American teen comedy film directed by Lisa Gottlieb and co-written by Dennis Feldman and Jeff Franklin, although according to Gottlieb, she also co-wrote the screenplay together with her writing partner Mitch ...
'' (1985) and ''
Summer School'' (1987), starring
Mark Harmon
Thomas Mark Harmon (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor. He is most famous for playing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in '' NCIS''. He also appeared in a wide variety of roles since the early 1970s. After spending the majority of ...
.
On April 20, 2015,
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
announced the streaming service would pick up thirteen episodes of
''Fuller House'', a sequel to ''Full House''.
Netflix also announced Franklin would oversee the production along with
Robert L. Boyett and Thomas L. Miller.
All 13 episodes of the first season premiered on February 26, 2016.
The series ended in its fifth season on June 2, 2020, due to competition and inability to grow significantly its audience.
Criticism
In February 2018, Franklin parted ways from the series ''
Fuller House''.
In June 2019, ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' revealed details of a probe made by
Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...
that included interviews with eight ''Fuller House'' staffers who commented of Franklin's alleged conduct.
Jeff Franklin sued the showrunner, blaming the co-executive producer Bryan Behar for orchestrating a conspiracy aiming to get him kicked out of the show, to discredit Franklin and replace him. Franklin denied all the allegations of misconduct.
Personal life
In 1994, Franklin bought
10050 Cielo Drive
10050 Cielo Drive was the street address of a former luxury home in Benedict Canyon, in the west-central part of the Beverly Crest neighborhood of Los Angeles, bordering Beverly Hills, where three members of the Manson Family committed the Tate ...
, the site of the
Tate murders
Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...
in 1969. The French country-style home was eventually demolished and replaced by a mansion designed by architect
Richard Landry
Richard Landry (born 1957) is a Canadian architect. Known as the "King of the Megamansion," he has designed many private residences for corporate moguls and celebrities in Los Angeles County, California.
Early life and education
Richard Landry gr ...
.
In 2014, he listed for sale another house designed by Landry in the
Hollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California.
Geography
The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains.
The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...
for US$30 million.
Filmography
Film
*1985: ''
Just One of the Guys
''Just One of the Guys'' is a 1985 American teen comedy film directed by Lisa Gottlieb and co-written by Dennis Feldman and Jeff Franklin, although according to Gottlieb, she also co-wrote the screenplay together with her writing partner Mitch ...
'' (co-writer with
Dennis Feldman
Dennis Jeffrey Feldman (born 1946) is a North American screenwriter, photographer, film producer and director.
Biography
Early life and photography
Feldman is the son of Phil Feldman, an attorney who became a Hollywood producer and execut ...
)
*1987: ''
Summer School'' (screenwriter)
*1999: ''
Love Stinks'' (writer, director)
Television
*1979: ''
The Bad News Bears
''The Bad News Bears'' is a 1976 American sports comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster. It stars Walter Matthau as an alcoholic ex-baseball pitcher who becomes a coach for a youth baseball team known as the Bears. ...
'' (screenwriter)
*1979–81: ''
Laverne & Shirley
''Laverne & Shirley'' (originally ''Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney'') is an American sitcom television series that played for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of ''Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' star ...
'' (screenwriter)
*1982: ''
Bosom Buddies
''Bosom Buddies'' is an American television sitcom starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari created by Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller and Chris Thompson ( Miller-Milkis-Boyett Productions). It aired on Thursday nights for two seasons on ABC fr ...
'' (producer)
*1984: ''
Young Hearts'' (movie; screenwriter)
*1987: ''
It's Garry Shandling's Show
''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American sitcom that was initially broadcast on Showtime from September 10, 1986 to May 25, 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The series is notable for breaking the fourth wall.
S ...
'' (producer)
*1989: ''Wally and the Valentines'' (movie; writer, executive producer)
*1987–92: ''
Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'' (creator; executive producer seasons 1-5)
*1997: ''
Head Over Heels'' (creator; executive producer)
*1992-93: ''
Stunt Dawgs
''Stunt Dawgs'' is a 1992–1993 animated comedic adventure series about a team of stunt performers and their bulldog named Human who also solve crimes and battle villains. The villain in question is invariably an insane Hollywood director calle ...
'' (Creator)
*1992–97: ''
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'' (creator; executive producer)
*1996–99: ''
Malcolm & Eddie
''Malcolm & Eddie'' is an American sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996, on UPN, and ran for four seasons, airing its final episode on May 22, 2000. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. The program was ...
'' (TV) (executive producer)
*2010: ''
Love That Girl!
''Love That Girl!'' is an American sitcom that airs on TV One and debuted on January 19, 2010. The series started off as a four episode, independently produced series presentation that aired as a special three-night event, and was later ordered ...
'' (executive producer)
*2011: ''The Last Resort'' (movie; executive producer, writer, director)
*2016–2020: ''
Fuller House'' (creator; executive producer seasons 1-4)
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Jeff
1955 births
Film producers from California
American male screenwriters
American television directors
Television producers from California
American television writers
Living people
People from Beverly Hills, California
Showrunners
American male television writers
Film directors from California
Screenwriters from California
21st-century American screenwriters
21st-century American male writers