Celebrated Television Maestro Don Mischer Passes Away at 85: A Legacy of Iconic Live Events
Don Mischer, the esteemed director and producer who created some of the most iconic live entertainment events globally—including Super Bowl halftime shows, Olympic opening ceremonies, the Oscars, and the Emmys—has passed away at the age of 85.
Mischer died peacefully in his sleep in Los Angeles on Friday, as confirmed by a family spokesperson.
Born in San Antonio, Mischer directed the Kennedy Center Honors from its inaugural event in 1978 through 1986 and produced the CBS telecast from 1993 to 2001. He also guided Barbara Walters’ popular ABC interview shows starting in the late 1970s.
Mischer was the mastermind behind numerous landmark TV specials, such as the 1983 Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, which featured a reunion of The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson’s legendary “moonwalk” during “Billie Jean.” He also directed notable specials like The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson in 1990 and Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers in 1998, both airing shortly after the untimely deaths of their respective stars.
Throughout his remarkable five-decade career, Mischer collaborated with a wide range of talent, including Bob Hope, Gene Kelly, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Shirley MacLaine, Nell Carter, Don Rickles, Robin Williams, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Eddie Murphy, and Beyoncé.
“There are directors and producers who almost view talent as a nuisance, and while that can sometimes be true, it’s essential to show that you care about them and have their best interests in mind,” he shared during a 2008 discussion for the Television Academy Foundation. “When they shine, it benefits you as well.”
Mischer’s accolades included 13 Primetime Emmys, a Daytime Emmy, a Sports Emmy, a Peabody Award, 10 DGA awards, and lifetime achievement honors from both the directors and producers guilds.
“Don’s mastery of directing live events is a sight to behold—a fast-paced symphony of meticulous planning and on-the-spot decision-making that brings our nation’s greatest cultural events into our living rooms. He executes it all with grace and confidence,” noted DGA president Thomas Schlamme in 2018.
He directed four Super Bowl halftime shows: in 1993, when Jackson insisted on hiring him despite NBC’s preference for a sports director; in 2005 with Paul McCartney; in 2006 with The Rolling Stones; and in 2007 with Prince, who delivered a memorable performance of “Purple Rain” during a serendipitous rain shower in Miami.
Mischer also produced the halftime entertainment for 2008 (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and 2009 (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band). He explained that a typical halftime show involves 300 camera shots in just over 11 minutes.
He directed the opening ceremony for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and produced the kickoff for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the first major global event following the 9/11 attacks.
Mischer directed the Academy Awards telecasts in 2011 (hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway), 2012 (Billy Crystal in his final Oscar appearance), and 2013 (Seth MacFarlane). He produced the Primetime Emmys 15 times from 1993 to 2019, including the twice-postponed 2001 show, which was also affected by the terrorist attacks.
“I’ve always aimed to produce the Emmys in a way that leaves everyone in the industry feeling proud to be part of television,” he said. “That was always the goal.”
A self-described “stress junkie,” Mischer thrived on the challenges of live television. “It’s high-risk, and that’s part of the appeal,” he explained, acknowledging that “more can go wrong than ever goes right.”
An example of this occurred during the final night of the 2004 Democratic Convention, when he called for balloons to drop in celebration of John Kerry’s presidential nomination. Unfortunately, a local company hired for the task failed, leading to a live outburst that was broadcast on CNN. Reflecting on the incident years later, he admitted, “It was one of those moments I thought I’d never be able to laugh about.”
Mischer also faced challenges with a couple of infamous variety shows: Saturday Night Live With Howard Cosell and Dolly, hosted by Dolly Parton. “Two of the biggest failures in television history that I’ve been associated with,” he said, “but luckily, I survived.”
Born on March 5, 1940, Mischer grew up in a San Antonio suburb. His father, Elmer, was in the insurance business, while his mother, Lillian, was a homemaker who passed away from breast cancer when he was 17.
He developed a fascination with television early on, recalling, “Nobody took it seriously, but I fantasized about it. It swept me off my feet.”
As a teenager, he played in a traveling country band while attending Douglas MacArthur High School, later earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, with plans to become a teacher.
His career path changed dramatically after President Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Chosen by a college professor to aid TV journalists covering Lyndon Johnson, he was struck by their quick decision-making, leading him to abandon his plans for a Ph.D. in favor of a career in television.
Mischer received a grant from The Ford Foundation to work for a year at the public TV station on the UT campus, later moving to Washington to direct news pieces for the U.S. Information Agency and political spots for documentarian Charles Guggenheim.
His national directing debut came in 1968 with a live program featuring Democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey.
Relocating to New York, Mischer directed the PBS magazine show The Great American Dream and worked with Don Kirshner on In Concert, a 90-minute rock show that aired after local news on Friday nights.
In 1975, he faced a pivotal decision between directing Saturday Night Live With Howard Cosell, a new primetime variety show, or the late-night program Saturday Night Live at NBC. He chose the Cosell show, which faced numerous production challenges and was canceled after 18 episodes.
Despite this setback, renowned producer George Schlatter brought him to L.A., where he directed TV specials for stars like Barry Manilow, Goldie Hawn, Liza Minnelli, and John Denver.
Mischer was nominated for 42 Primetime Emmys, winning his first in 1981 for producing the children’s program Donahue and Kids and for directing the Kennedy Center Honors.
For Jackson’s Super Bowl performance in 1993, Mischer coordinated a crew of 270 volunteers who set up a 12-ton stage and equipment on the Rose Bowl field in just under four minutes. “We finished with 12 seconds to spare,” he recalled.
Jackson’s performance became one of the most-watched events in television history.
Following the infamous wardrobe malfunction during MTV’s 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, the NFL turned to Mischer for stability. “If I ever run into Janet Jackson, I owe her a thank you,” he said.
His impressive career also included directing the Tony Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, and a special for Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
Mischer directed episodes of Laugh-In, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Dolly, Normal Life, The Wayne Brady Show, and Murder, She Wrote. However, he preferred to avoid series television, despite its financial benefits. “Why would I want to limit myself to one studio and one artist for a year when I could work with Willie Nelson in March, Baryshnikov in May, and Frank Sinatra for the closing ceremony of Liberty Weekend in July?” he mused.
His memoir, :10 Seconds to Air: My Life in the Director’s Chair, was published in 2023.
He is survived by his second wife, Suzan Reed, a former CBS executive; his children, Jennifer, Heather, Charles, and Lilly; and his grandchildren, Everly and Tallulah.
“What I do is essentially create entertainment, like many others. It’s not brain surgery, as someone once said,” he reflected in his 2008 interview. “I want to be remembered as someone who loved his work, treated people well, and had a few opportunities to accomplish outstanding things—just a couple.”
Stay tuned for more updates from HiCelebNews as we celebrate the legacy of great talents like Don Mischer.
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