Douglas S. Cramer, a former studio executive and producer on some of television’s biggest hits over the past half century, including “Wonder Woman,” “Dynasty” and “Love Boat,” has died. He was 89.
Cramer’s death was announced in The Hollywood Reporter by former THR columnist Sue Cameron. He died of heart and kidney failure in Martha’s Vineyard on Monday.
Over his career, Cramer also worked for Procter & Gamble, ABC, 20th Century Fox and Screen Gems. He was a former head of Paramount Television in the late 1960s, and spent 14 years with Aaron Spelling’s production company. He won two Emmy awards during his career.
Cramer joined Spelling’s company in the late 1970s, after Spelling split from his producing partner Leonard Goldberg. As part of his role as executive vice president, Cramer “was not to give any interviews or do any press; that was all Aaron, his company,” he said in a 2009 conversation with the Television Academy Foundation website The Interviews.
With Spelling, Cramer produced “Vega$,” “Matt Houston,” “Hotel” (a “Love Boat” spinoff starring James Brolin), “Life With Lucy,” “Glitter,” “Aloha Paradise,” and “B.A.D. Cats,” starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Before partnering with Spelling, Cramer worked on series including “Peyton’s Place,” “The Brady Bunch” and “Batman.”