Martin Allen Pasetta (June 16, 1932 – May 21, 2015) was an American television producer and director, best known for his work on the telecasts for multiple awards shows, including
the Oscars
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
,
the Grammys, and the
AFI Life Achievement Awards.
He also directed ''
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
''The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' was an American comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969.
The series was a major success, especially considering it was sched ...
'' along with the game shows ''
Wheel of Fortune The Wheel of Fortune or ''Rota Fortunae'' has been a concept and metaphor since ancient times referring to the capricious nature of Fate. Wheel of Fortune may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Art
* ''The Wheel of Fortune'' (Burne-Jo ...
'' and ''
Love Connection''.
He also produced the game show ''
Catchphrase'', which, while short-lived in the US, went on to a long run in the UK, where
their adaptation ran from 1986 until 2002 and was revived again in 2013; Pasetta also co-produced a pilot for an American revival in 2006 that didn't sell (as well as late 1980s revisions called ''Puzzle Roulette'' and ''The Puzzle Game'', both of which were hosted by
Jim Lange). He also produced two pilots in 1990; a revival of ''
Name That Tune'' with
Orion Television
Orion () may refer to:
Common meanings
* Orion (constellation), named after the mythical hunter
* Orion (mythology), a hunter in Greek mythology
* Orion (spacecraft), NASA crew vehicle first launched in 2022
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
with
Peter Allen as host, and a card game titled ''Suit Yourself'' with
Jim Peck
James Edward Peck (born April 16, 1939 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American television and radio personality based in Milwaukee and is perhaps best known for his time as a game show host.
Early career
After Peck graduated from Marquette Univer ...
at the helm. 1992 saw him produce a short-lived primetime game show for
CBS called ''
The Hollywood Game
''The Hollywood Game'' is a prime time game show hosted by Bob Goen that ran for four weeks on CBS during the summer of 1992. It involved two teams of two contestants each, who answered trivia questions about film and television. The show was taped ...
'', with
Bob Goen
Robert Kuehl Goen (born December 1, 1954) is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on ''Entertainment Tonight'' between 1993 and 2004 and as the fourth and final host of the daytime ''Wheel of Fortune'' fr ...
(the pilot had been hosted by Allen, but he was unable to host the series due to illness).
Pasetta was the producer of the
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
concert special, ''
Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite'' in January 1973. The show still holds the record for the most watched television special in history; viewing figures are between 1 and 1.5 billion live viewers worldwide. 1973 also saw Pasetta direct ''
Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra'' (also known as ''Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back''), the television special that marked
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
's comeback from retirement.
Pasetta died in a 2015 single-car accident. The vehicle driven by Keith Stewart collided with Pasetta shortly after Stewart had allowed his passengers to disembark.
References
External links
*
*
Find a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pasetta, Marty
1932 births
2015 deaths
Road incident deaths in California
People from San Jose, California
American television directors
Television producers from California
Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City