Melissa Jo Peltier is a
New York-based
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
producer and author. She produced, wrote and directed the 1994
A&E documentary mini-series ''
Titanic: Death of a Dream'' and ''
Titanic: The Legend Lives On'', the show ''
Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan
''Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan'' is a reality television series that featured dog trainer Cesar Millan's work with problem dogs. After nine seasons, the series finale aired on September 15, 2012.
Episodes of ''Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan ...
''. She has also co-authored five books with Millan on the subject of raising and training dogs. In 2013, she published her first novel, entitled ''Reality Boulevard.''
Peltier has won two
News & Documentary Emmy awards
The News & Documentary Emmy Awards, or News & Documentary Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Scien ...
and received the
Humanitas Prize
The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing, and is given to writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced and meaningful way. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser—also the founder of Paulist P ...
in 1993 for the documentary ''Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse''.
Background and career
Peltier was born and raised in New England, graduating cum laude from
Pomona College
Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...
in
Claremont.
[
She directed and co-wrote the primetime documentary special, ''Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse'', hosted by Oprah Winfrey, released in 1992. The documentary earned her a Humanitas Prize. Later, she directed and wrote the ''Breaking the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse'', which won a Peabody Award in 1995. In 1994, she was producer, director and writer of A&E’s four-hour miseries, '' Titanic: Death of a Dream'' and ''Titanic: The Legend Lives On.'' Peltier received the News and Documentary Emmy Award for this documentary for outstanding documentary writing.
In 1996, Peltier co-founded MPH Entertainment with two other business partners. She executive-produced the TV show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan (2004-2012). She also wrote and directed multiple episodes for the series.]White Irish Drinkers
''White Irish Drinkers'' is a 2010 American drama film written and directed by John Gray and starring Nick Thurston and Geoffrey Wigdor.
Premise
Brooklyn, 1975: brothers Brian and Danny Leary are looking for a way out of their working-class neig ...
'', which was directed by her husband.
Books
Peltier has co-authored, with Cesar Millan, five books all of which became New York Times Bestsellers
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of bestseller, best-selling books in the United States.John Bear (educator), John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books ...
. She also co-authored ''The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth'' in 2011.
''Reality Boulevard''
In 2014, Peltier wrote the novel, ''Reality Boulevard''. The story of the novel is based on what happens to a group of idealistic filmmakers after their long running documentary series is cancelled and they are thrust into the assembly line world of reality TV. The book was named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2013.
Selected filmography
Personal life
Peltier is married to John Gray, a screenwriter, director and producer.
Bibliography
*''Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems'' co-authored with Cesar Millan. (2007).
*''Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life'' co-authored with Cesar Millan. (2007).
*''A Member of the Family: Cesar Millan's Guide to a Lifetime of Fulfillment with Your Dog'' co-authored with Cesar Millan. (2008).
*''How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond'' co-authored with Cesar Millan. (2009).
*''Cesar's Rules: Your Way to Train a Well-Behaved Dog'' co-authored with Cesar Millan. (2010).
*''The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth'' co-authored with Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, Alane Park. (2011).
*''Reality Boulevard''. (2013).
Awards and honors
* Women in Film Award - 1991
*Humanitas Prize for ''Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse'' - 1993
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peltier, Melissa Jo
Living people
Film producers from California
Pomona College alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)