If you were watching the 2012 Emmy Awards while in Oakland, California, and thinking “That’s an LA thing; there’s no connection to Oakland,” you’re totally wrong. The work of two Oaklanders – Tom Hanks and John Landgraf – was featured among victories by the producers of Homeland, Modern Family, and Game Change.
If you’re thinking “Tom Hanks” as in the legendary actor / producer, that’s the same person. Mr. Hanks is a 1974 graduate of Oakland’s Skyline High School, and his production company Playtone, produced the great mini-series Game Change, based on the book of the same name by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann.
Playtone’s Game Change, which was aired on HBO and starred Ed Harris and Julianne Moore, won four Emmy Awards: for Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special – Danny Strong; Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin; Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special, Jay Roach, Director.
Here’s a video from that program – the scene where Governor Sarah Palin learns she’s not going to be allowed to give a concession speech after she and Senator John McCain lost to now-President Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential race:
John Landgraf Continues String Of Winning Series
“John Landgraf” is John Landgraf, the President Of FX NETWORKS, graduate of Skyline High School Class of 1980 (with this blogger) and the man most noted for giving the green light to The Shield, the TV series that launched the career of Michael Chiklis, and the visibility of FX. At The 2012 Emmy Awards, FX NETWORKS’s series produced a total of three Emmys, to increase the organization’s total from 2 to five. Two of the three were generated by one man: Louis CK, and for Pregnant, and for his live show Louis C.K. Live At The Beacon Theatre; the third one came for the performance of the legendary Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon in FX NETWORKS’ American Horror Story.
Stay tuned.