Barnet Kellman

• Name — Barnet Kellman • Born — 9 November 1947 • Birthplace — New York City, New York, U.S. • Occupation — Film director, television producer, actor • Years Active — 1980–present • Education — Colgate University (BA) Yale University (MFA) Union Institute and University (PhD)

Barnet Kellman was born in New York City, and raised in suburban Long Island. His father was Joseph A. G. Kellman, an attorney, and his mother was Verona Kellman (née Kramer). He attended Colgate University, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and graduated cum laude in 1969. He attended Yale School of Drama, eventually earning his Ph.D. from Union Institute at Antioch on a Danforth Graduate Fellowship. As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, he studied theater and film in Europe and worked with renowned theater pioneer Joan Littlewood at her Theatre Royal in Stratford, East London, appearing in her production of The Marie Lloyd Story.

Kellman began as an actor, joining Actors' Equity at age nineteen. While still at Colgate, he was an assistant to director Alan Schneider on the Broadway production of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. In the 1970s, he was a mainstay on New York City's Off-Broadway. He directed productions in the early seasons of Playwrights Horizons, and the Manhattan Theatre Club. His WPA Theatre production of Key Exchange introduced playwright Kevin Wade and moved to the Orpheum Theatre for a year-long run, while his acclaimed Circle Rep production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea introduced playwright John Patrick Shanley and actor John Turturro. For Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival, he directed the works of David Rabe and William Hauptman. He was an Associate Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival and, for ten years, a regular director at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center's National Playwrights Conference associated with works by Shanley, Lee Blessing and Richard Dresser. His Hudson Guild production of Lee Kalcheim's Breakfast with Les and Bess had a long run at the Lambs Theatre. Other notable premieres include plays by Israel Horovitz and Donald Margulies. He is a past board member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers.

In 2008, during a Writers Guild strike, Kellman joined the film faculties of the American Film Institute and the University of Southern California (USC). In 2011, he was awarded tenure at USC and co-founded the school's groundbreaking comedy program, USC Comedy at the School of Cinematic Arts. In 2017, USC named him inaugural holder of its Robin Williams Endowed Chair in Comedy.

• Samantha Who? • Notes from the Underbelly • Four Kings • Living with Fran • George Lopez • Alias • Mary and Rhoda • Felicity • Good Advice • Murphy Brown • ER • Bless This House • Slappy and the Stinkers • Mad About You • Straight Talk • Designing Women • Another World • True Jackson, VP

Barnet Kellman is recorded as having received Primetime Emmy Award, Directors Guild of America Award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.