Tom Thayer(I)
- Producer
- Director
- Executive
Thayer was the last President of Universal Television for 6 years,
through the Seagram acquisition in '97. Prior to that, he was appointed
the founding President of MCA Television Entertainment, which was MCA /
Universal's premiere venture into cable programming that resulted in
"Dream On" for HBO and some 40 pictures for cable television. Since the
sale of MCA, Thayer has run his own production company, Traveler's Rest
Films. Thayer's productions include "The Great Gatsby" with Mira
Sorvino, Toby Stephens and Paul Rudd, The John McCain biography, "Faith
of My Fathers", and the HBO adaptation of Dee Brown's classic, "Bury My
Heart At Wounded Knee". "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" was the most
Emmy nominated picture in the history of HBO, and was tied for the most
Emmy nominated picture in the history of television. It won six Emmy
Awards, including Best Picture for 2007, the Critics Choice Award, the
PGA and DGA Awards, and the Humanitas. The following year Thayer
produced a four-hour adaptation of Michael Crichton's best-seller, "The
Andromeda Strain", with Co-Producer Ridley Scott. "The Andromeda
Strain" aired on A&E in May, 2008, was the second highest rated
telecast in the network's history and was nominated for seven Emmy
Awards. In 2004, Thayer created and sold Ghost Hunters with Pilgrim Television.
Ghost Hunters became television's longest running and most successful show in the paranormal genre.
In May, 2012, Thayer produced a theatrical biography of Alfred
Hitchcock for Fox Searchlight. "Hitchcock" starred Anthony Hopkins, Helen
Mirren and Scarlett Johansson and was directed by Sacha Gervasi.
Also in 2012, Thayer and Dick Wolf started a venture to develop non-scripted television programming.
They have six series on the air and work with numerous production companies and partners.