Executive producer Gary Nardino headed Paramount Studios' television division from 1977 to 1983 and oversaw the production of some of that era's most popular and acclaimed TV series, including Happy Days, Taxi, Family Ties, and Cheers. He was also behind the Emmy-winning miniseries Shogun (1989), Golda, and The Winds of War (1983). One of the things that made Nardino such a powerhouse was his belief in the quality of his series and his affection for the characters within them. At one point during Nardino's reign, Paramount produced more shows than any other American studio. Nardino was also occasionally involved in feature film production. He was production supervisor of one of Paramount's biggest hits of the early '80s, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and he executive-produced Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984). Known by colleagues as a real showman, Nardino flaunted his wealth and power; his opulent Thursday-night poker games were legendary in Hollywood.
A native of Garfield, NJ, Nardino obtained a business degree from Seton Hall University before entering the entertainment world as an agent in 1959. In this capacity, he has managed companies like Lorimar Products, Granada Television, and Filmways, and individuals such as Dick Clark, Arthur Godfrey, David Frost, and Allan Funt. He subsequently moved on to become senior vice president of the New York TV department of ICM at the William Morris Agency. There, he packaged variety specials.
Nardino launched his own studio and switched to feature film production after leaving Paramount in 1983. His company's films include Brothers, a made-for-cable effort, and two NBC network television movies, Marblehead Manor and Hard Knocks. He became the CEO and chairman of Orion Television Entertainment in 1988. In this capacity, Nardino supervised such series as Equal Justice and Lifestories. When Orion's television production wing closed in 1991, Nardino joined Lorimar to create independent television programming. He stayed with the company when it merged with Warner Bros. and became the executive producer of Time Trax. In the mid-'90s, Nardino moved up to become the co-president of North Hall Productions. Nardino died on January 31, 1998, after suffering a stroke; he was 62.
