David Yarnell, whose long career as a producer stretched from the early days of William F. Buckley, the launch of late-night rock and roll on network TV and to the critically acclaimed 2018 Melissa McCarthy drama Can You Ever Forgive Me?, died Wednesday, January 28, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 96.
His death was announced by his wife, the CAA agent Toni Howard. Although no cause of death was given, the announcement notes that Yarnell died with his wife by his side.
Among Yarnell’s many producing and/or directing credits are Firing Line with Buckley, the 11-year-run of TNT programming with Joe Bob Briggs, Candid Camera, Love, American Style, That’s Incredible and, beginning in 1972, ABC’s groundbreaking In Concert late night series that brought such rock acts as Alice Cooper, The Allman Brothers Band, the Bee Gees and Steely Dan, among others, to network TV.
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Born March 14, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, Yarnell graduated from Brooklyn Law School and then attended Cooper Union School of Art in Manhattan, where he was first inspired to pursue work in radio, film and television.
Yarnell launched his career as the program director for Channel 5 in New York, and was a creator and executive producer of the news show Firing Line with the conservative Buckley. Yarnell would also work with David Frost and produced the radio broadcast of Muhammed Ali fights.
He would go on to become the V.P. of Programming at Metromedia and RKO General and later became an executive at Screen Gems.
Yarnell earned an Emmy nomination for his producing and directing of the Joe Bob Briggs programs for TNT, and produced the 1999 CBS movie Deep in My Heart for which Anne Bancroft won a Primetime Emmy Award.
In 1972, Yarnell created and produced In Concert, which lasted only a season under that name before becoming the nine-season syndicated Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, with such acts as The Rolling Stones, Queen and Black Sabbath. A total of 180 ninety-minute shows were produced.
For HBO, Yarnell produced comedy-variety specials featuring Roseanne Barr and Dolly Parton.
Yarnell formed his production company DY Productions to focus on documentaries, including the first television biography of director Billy Wilder for PBS’ American Masters series in 1998. Yarnell also produced AFI 100 Years, the TNT series of 10 one-hour specials celebrating American cinema, and Television’s Greatest Performances Part I & II for ABC.
In 2018, Yarnell produced and was the driving force behind Can You Ever Forgive Me? starring McCarthy and Richard E. Grant, based on the memoir by infamous literary forger and author Lee Israel. Yarnell optioned the book 20 years before the making of the film and it was his relationship with Israel that made the project a reality. McCarthy and Grant both earned Oscar nominations for their performances in the Fox Searchlight film.
Yarnell is survived by Howard, whom he married in 1989. Together, they established the Toni and David Yarnell Merit Award of Excellence in Architecture and Art at Cooper Union as a way of giving back to aspiring creatives.
I’ve had the privilege of working with David Yarnell on various projects and becoming his friend over the last quarter century. His wealth of talent, knowledge, style and kindness – not to mention the treasure trove of his life’s anecdotes – are the likes of which we will not see again. I will sorely miss him and hold him as an inner example for my own self
I was fresh out of college, just finished being an NBC Page and Ron Greenberg hired me aa a PA on the new music game show The Pop n Rocker Game Show that David Yarnell produced. I really enjoyed working with David Yarnell because he was always nice When Ashford & Simpson came on the show, David walked me into their dressing room an introduced me. He did the same the same thing with Boy George & Culture Club. Long before smart phones and social media, David Yarnell was genuine and took pleasure in my excitement for me to meet music favorites at that time. He knew everyone and was comfortable and secure in his own being that everyone was treated like his family. I’ve worked with many producers and executives. David Yarnell was one of the nice guys in my list of producers I will always remember him because he was kind, great smile, dressed impeccably and shared the best stories. RIP David Yarnell, you were one of the best in my book!!!!!
What a diverse and fascinating career! The Israel biopic was certainly a crowning achievement. RIP
What a wonderful man. He was loved by so many and will be missed by all.
RIP David. I loved every minute we spent together. A true gentleman.