Grant A. Tinker ’47

Grant A. Tinker ’47 of Los Angeles died on November 28, 2016. He was born January 11, 1925, in Stamford, Connecticut, where he grew up and attended King School. He joined the class as a civilian in 1943. He majored in English and joined Alpha Delta Phi. He served in the Army Air Force Reserve. He worked as a TV executive in Universal City, California, and then served as chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986. He married Mary Tyler Moore in 1962 and founded MTM Enterprises, which produced The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. He oversaw the creation of several of the network’s hit shows, such as Cheers, Family Ties, Golden Girls and Night Court. In 1994 he won a Peabody Award for fostering creativity. In 1997 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. He is survived by four children.