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Philip Rosenthal

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This article is about the television producer. For other people, see Philip Rosenthal (disambiguation).

Philip Rosenthal
Rosenthal in 2011
Born (1960-01-27) January 27, 1960 (age 64)[1]
Queens, New York, U.S.
EducationHofstra University
Occupation(s)Television writer, producer
Years active1989–present
Known forEverybody Loves Raymond
I'll Have What Phil's Having
Somebody Feed Phil
Spouse
​
(m. 1990)​
Children2
Parent(s)Helen K. Rosenthal
Max Rosenthal

Philip Rosenthal (born January 27, 1960)[1] is an American television writer and producer who is the creator, writer, and executive producer of the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005). In recent years, he has presented food and travel documentaries I'll Have What Phil's Having on PBS and Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix.

Biography and career

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Rosenthal's parents were both born in Germany: his mother Helen (1933–2019) in Hamburg and his father Max (1926–2021) in Berlin; after being interned in France, his mother moved to Cuba after World War II, then to Manhattan, where she met her husband,[2] who had left Germany shortly after Kristallnacht. Rosenthal was born to a Jewish family[3][4] in Queens, New York, but spent most of his childhood living in New City, New York, located in Rockland County.[5] He attended Clarkstown North High School where he became very active in the school's drama club, Cue 'N Curtain, and in theatre.[6] Rosenthal graduated from Clarkstown North in 1977.[7] After high school, he attended Hofstra University, from which he graduated in 1981.[8]

In the early 1980s, Rosenthal was an actor in New York City before shifting his focus to production work, becoming a writer and producer of such shows as Coach with Craig T. Nelson and the short-lived Baby Talk.

Rosenthal's largest commercial success and longest-running project was the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. The show was co-produced by Ray Romano, and was based in part on Romano's comedy material. Rosenthal's wife, actress Monica Horan, played the role of Amy MacDougall-Barone, the off-and-on girlfriend (wife after season 7) of Robert Barone (Brad Garrett) in the series. Over the objections or reservations of the other cast members, Rosenthal and Romano made the decision to end the series. Twenty-one of the show's episodes were written by Rosenthal or a co-writer.

Rosenthal has occasionally acted as well, in projects such as James L. Brooks' Spanglish, The Simpsons Movie (a big screen adaptation of the long-running TV series), Curb Your Enthusiasm, 30 Rock, The TV Set, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Rosenthal is the author of the book You're Lucky You're Funny: How Life Becomes a Sitcom, which was published on October 21, 2006. He recounts how his life led to the success of Everybody Loves Raymond.[9]

Rosenthal directed President Bill Clinton in a White House Correspondents' Dinner video, which was shown to wide acclaim at the April 2000 event.[10][11] Rosenthal co-wrote the 9/11 telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes, which aired on all four networks, and won a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing.[12] Rosenthal wrote and directed a documentary film for Sony Pictures called Exporting Raymond, which depicts his efforts to adapt Everybody Loves Raymond for Russian television, despite his having little knowledge of Russian culture.

In August 2015, he was one of 98 members of the Los Angeles Jewish community who signed an open letter supporting the proposed nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers led by the United States "as being in the best interest of the United States and Israel."[13][14]

Beginning on September 28, 2015, PBS presented the six-episode television series I'll Have What Phil's Having,[15] in which Rosenthal goes to locations around the world to explore their food culture. After six episodes, the series was not renewed. On January 12, 2018, Netflix premiered a reworked version of the show, titled Somebody Feed Phil. His brother Richard "Rich" Rosenthal serves as an executive producer.[16]

Philanthropy

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Rosenthal serves on the Creative Council of Represent.Us, a nonpartisan anti-corruption organization.[17]

He and the Rosenthal Family Foundation launched a national campaign called "Somebody Feed The People" to support organizations that provided meals to voters waiting in long lines during the 2020 United States presidential election, matching contributions up to $250,000.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b "'Everybody Loves Raymond' creator Phil Rosenthal trying to shop reunion special". Newsday. August 2, 2021. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Rosenthal, 61
  2. ^ "The American Scene: Phil Rosenthal". National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution. October 20, 2016. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Schleier, Curt (September 21, 2015). "Jewish Creator of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' Embarks on Global Food Tour". Haaretz. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  4. ^ Okrent, Daniel (April 29, 2012). "Kvelling in Their Seats - A first-time producer on what it took to stage Old Jews Telling Jokes". New York. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Meet Phil | I'll Have What Phil's Having | PBS". PBS.org. August 3, 2015. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  6. ^ "EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LOVE ARTS ED". lacountyartsforall.org. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  7. ^ "Alumni Page". summertheatrefestival.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "Video: Phil Rosenthal Commencement Speech - Student Affairs | Hofstra University, New York". www.hofstra.edu. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  9. ^ Rosenthal, Phil (2006). You're Lucky You're Funny: How Life Becomes a Sitcom. Viking. ISBN 9780670037995. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Comedy Pro Phil Rosenthal Directed President Clinton's Famous WHCD Departure Video, Has Advice for President Obama: Play It Straight". WHC Insider. May 5, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  11. ^ Clinton, William J.; Clinton, Hillary Rodham; Shelton, General Hugh; Rosenthal, Phillip (director) (April 29, 2000). "The Final Days" White House Correspondents' Dinner Skit. Remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Washington, D.C.: William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Event occurs at 4 m. 38 s. OCLC 950267798. MT11909 within Master Tape #s 11446 - 11447. Retrieved September 23, 2022. President Clinton: B9. General Shelton: You sunk my battleship!
  12. ^ "America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". IMDb. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  13. ^ Jewish Journal: "What do 98 L.A. Jewish leaders think about the Iran agreement?"[dead link]August 13, 2015
  14. ^ Abramovitch, Seth (August 12, 2015). "98 Prominent Hollywood Jews Back Iran Nuclear Deal in Open Letter (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 27, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  15. ^ "I'll Have What Phil's Having - I'll Have What Phil's Having". I'll Have What Phil's Having | PBS. November 2, 2015. Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  16. ^ "Show info at the Netflix Media Center". media.netflix.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "About | Represent.Us". End corruption. Defend the Republic. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  18. ^ Drury, Sharareh (October 17, 2020). "Phil Rosenthal Launches "Somebody Feed the People" Campaign to Provide Meals to Voters". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
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