Lee Rich

He was an executive for Benton & Bowles in the 1950s and 1960s.

Lee Rich was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to a banker and his wife. He graduated from the University of Ohio in Athens with a marketing degree. During World War II Mr. Rich served in the United States Navy reaching the rank of Lieutenant. Mr. Rich began his career in advertising as an office boy at Lord & Thomas in New York. At the renowned ad agency Benton & Bowles Mr. Rich rose to senior vice president and a member of the board. In this position he ran the agency's program department and served as the sponsors' representative on numerous television shows including "The Andy Griffith Show," "Make Room for Daddy," "The Edge Of Night," "Gomer Pyle, U. S. M. C. " and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" among many others. In 1965, Rich became a producer when he became a partner in the Mirisch-Rich Co where he was the executive in charge of production on the World War II series "The Rat Patrol" and the sitcom "Hey, Landlord" created by Garry Marshall. After briefly returning to the advertising industry with the Leo Burnett Agency, Mr. Rich returned to Hollywood when he formed Lorimar Productions with Merv Adelson. Some of their many successes include "The Waltons," "Falcon Crest," "Eight Is Enough," "Dallas," "Flamingo Road," "The Blue Knight," "Sybil" and "Helter Skelter.

He founded Lorimar Producers with Merv Adelson in 1969 and left in 1986. He was MGM/UA Communications Executive for two years.