Bruce Geller Biography
Bruce Bernard Geller was an American lyricist, screenwriter, director and television producer, born on October 13, 1930 in New York. After graduating from Yale University in 1952, where he studied psychology and sociology, he moved to New York to pursue a career in entertainment.
Geller began writing scripts for shows on the DuMont television network, including Jimmy Hughes and Rookie Cop. He also wrote the book and lyrics for musical theater productions, including Livin' the Life and All in Love, but his efforts met with only modest success.
After leaving New York for Los Angeles, Geller continued to write scripts for episodes of several television series, including Zane Gray Theatre, Have Gun, Will Travel, The Rebel and The Rifleman. He also served as co-executive producer of the series Rawhide for the 1964-1965 television season.
During the production of Rawhide, Geller developed the idea for a new series titled Mission Impossible. In 1966 he created, wrote, produced and directed Mission Impossible, which remains the achievement for which he is best remembered. The show ran on CBS from 1966 to 1973 and earned him a 1966 Emmy Award as producer plus another for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama. During the early seasons, a photograph of Geller was included in the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) agent dossier that IMF leaders Briggs and Phelps reviewed each week and was often visible on screen.
Geller also wrote, produced and directed the series Mannix (1967–1975), which was twice nominated for an Emmy Award. In 1973, he made his only foray into film, producing and directing Harry in Your Pocket starring James Coburn and Walter Pidgeon.
In addition to his entertainment career, Geller was also an avid pilot and owned a Cessna Skymaster. Unfortunately, on May 21, 1978, while flying with a friend from Las Vegas to Burbank, he crashed into Buena Vista Canyon near Santa Barbara, California, due to fog. Geller was 47 years old.
