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Barbara Avedon

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Barbara Avedon
Barbara Hammer Avedon and a black cat
Barbara Hammer Avedon and a black cat
Born(1930-06-29)June 29, 1930
DiedAugust 31, 1994(1994-08-31) (aged 64)
OccupationTelevision writer
Known forCreator of Cagney & Lacey with Barbara Corday
Founder of Another Mother for Peace
Spouses
(divorced)
(divorced)
Mel Avedon
(divorced)
ChildrenJoshua Avedon

Barbara Hammer Avedon (June 29, 1930 August 31, 1994)[1] was an American television writer, political activist,[2] and feminist.[3] She founded the anti-war organization Another Mother for Peace.

Biography

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She was one of the writers for the television series Bewitched, and helped a group of Jefferson High School students write the episode "Sisters at Heart".[4] She also wrote for Executive Suite[5] and Fish, a 1977–78 spin-off from Barney Miller.[6] With Barbara Corday, Avedon created Cagney & Lacey, the world's first dramatic television series to place women in both of its starring roles.[7] They came up with the idea for this television series after having read Molly Haskell's book From Reverence to Rape which stated that there had never been a female buddy film.[8] Avedon and Corday initially intended Cagney & Lacey to be a film.[9] While they were writing the series together, Avedon was more experienced and proficient in screenwriting than Corday, and Avedon mentored Corday in this area throughout the series.[10] They were best friends for nearly a decade.[11]

Personal life

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Avedon married three times. Her first husband was screenwriter Irwin Gielgud. Her second was television writer Phil Sharp.[12] Her third husband was oncologist Dr. Melvin Avedon; they had one child before the marriage was dissolved.[12] Her son Joshua is a co-founder of Jumpstart, a not-for-profit that focused on transforming the broader Jewish community through spirituality, learning, social activism, and culture. Joshua is also one of the founders of the Jewish congregation IKAR.[13]

References

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  1. Hayward, Anthony (9 September 1994). "Barbara Avedon". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  2. Horace Newcomb, ed. (2014). Encyclopedia of Television (2 ed.). Routledge. p. 600. ISBN 978-1135194796.
  3. Geraldine Harris (2006). Beyond Representation: Television Drama and the Politics and Aesthetics of Identity. Manchester University Press. p. 41. ISBN 1847791727.
  4. William D. Crump (2001). The Christmas Encyclopedia (3 ed.). McFarland & Company. p. 38. ISBN 1476605734.
  5. William Puette (1992). Through Jaundiced Eyes: How the Media View Organized Labor. Cornell University Press. p. 176. ISBN 0875461859.
  6. Vincent Terrace (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials. Vol. 2. VNR AG. p. 144. ISBN 0918432618.
  7. Julie D'Acci (1992). Lynn Spigel; Denise Mann (eds.). "Defining Women: The Case of Cagney and Lacey". Private Screenings: Television and the Female Consumer. University of Minnesota Press: 170. ISBN 0816620539.
  8. Syd Field (2009). Selling a Screenplay: The Screenwriter's Guide to Hollywood. Random House. p. 148. ISBN 978-0307570642.
  9. Elana Levine (2007). Wallowing in Sex: The New Sexual Culture of 1970s American Television. Duke University Press. p. 282. ISBN 978-0822339199.
  10. Ellen A. Ensher; Susan E. Murphy (2011). Power Mentoring: How Successful Mentors and Proteges Get the Most Out of Their Relationships. John Wiley & Sons. p. 59. ISBN 978-1118046876.
  11. Warren G. Bennis (2003). On Becoming a Leader. Da Capo Press. p. 85. ISBN 0738208175.
  12. 1 2 The Independent: "Obituary: Barbara Avedon" by Anthony Hayward 9 September 1994
  13. "Project-Incubator Staff". paideia-eu.org. 2019-08-22. Archived from the original on 2019-10-26.