https://en.battlestarwiki.org/Susan_Futterman/history?feed=atomSusan Futterman - Revision history2026-05-13T00:21:11ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.1https://en.battlestarwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Susan_Futterman&diff=248749&oldid=prevJoe Beaudoin Jr.: Updated.2024-10-27T23:38:14Z<p>Updated.</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{DISPLAYTITLE:Futterman, Susan}}<br />
[[File:Susan Futterman.jpg|thumb|Susan Futterman at an ABC meeting circa 2005 CE.]]<br />
'''Susan Futterman''' was the director of Standards and Practices at [[w:ABC|ABC]] from 1976 to 2006 CE, during the tenure of the [[Original Series]] and its successor, ''[[Galactica 1980]]''.<br />
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Her stepfather, Frank Perls, was an art dealer in Beverly Hills<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.antiquesandthearts.com/gustave-baumann-in-california/|title=Gustave Baumann In California|accessdate=27 October 2024|date=21 March 2017|author=Kate Eagen Johnson}}</ref>; Perls' brother had his own gallery in New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/research-centers/leonard-a-lauder-research-center/research-resources/modern-art-index-project/perls-frank|title=The Met - Frank R. Perls|accessyear=27 October 2024}}</ref><br />
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Owing to Futterman's position at the studio, she clashed with various creatives over the course of her 3 decade tenure. She was described by illusionist and author [[w:Jim_Steinmeyer|Jim Steinmeyer]] as "stern and schoolmarm-ish, with her hair parted severely in the center and owlish horned-rimmed glasses."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://jimsteinmeyer.com/2022/05/31/what-we-hide-cheating-at-cheating/|title=WHAT WE HIDE: CHEATING AT CHEATING|author=Jim Steinmeyer|accessdate=27 October 2024|date=31 May 2022}}</ref><br />
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== Criticisms ==<br />
Futterman ran afoul of [[Glen A. Larson]], particularly during the run of ''[[Galactica 1980]]''. The numerous jokes about [[Arnie's meatballs]] were peppered into the two-part episode "[[The Night the Cylons Landed]]," as a result of her belief that they were lewd. In addition to Larson's issues with Futterman, she was [[The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I#Official Statements|not fondly remembered]] by ''1980'' story editors [[Allan Cole]] and [[Chris Bunch]]; Cole being the more diplomatic of the two, notably when he told her "that they ought to open every episode of the show with an "educational" tag that read: 'Why aren't you little bug snipes watching ''[[w:60_Minutes|60 Minutes]]''.'" Cole noted that she agreed with that proposal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://members.tripod.com/john_larocque/tns/acole.html|title=Interview with ''Galactica 1980'' Story Editor Allan Cole|author=John Larocque|accessdate=27 October 2024|date=28 February 2005}}</ref> <br />
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Other creatives ran afoul of her, with [[w:Jim_Steinmeyer|Jim Steinmeyer]] noting her intense interest in a [[w:Doug_Henning|Doug Henning]] special of the 1980s.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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In 1994, Dr. Jay Gordon's comments regarding the terminal effects of drugs and alcohol being marketed to children were censored by Futterman's group on a broadcast of the March 9, 1994 episode of the daytime talk show ''[[w:Home_(1988_TV_program)|Home]]''. Gordon believed Futterman solely responsible, with ''Home''<nowiki/>'s executive producer Woody Fraser initially overriding her decision to censor Gordon―one of many times he sparred with Futterman on that show.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=ABC Censors Doctor’s Comments on ‘Home’ Show|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-19-ca-35988-story.html|author=Judith Michaelson|accessdate=27 October 2024|date=19 March 1994|publisher=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><br />
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Fraser criticized Futterman's censorship as being driven by advertising, noting "Susan Futterman never says to you directly it has anything to do with potential sponsor problems, but the ''Home'' show is considered to be an advertiser-friendly show. So we sell a lot of spots. We make a lot of money for the network."<ref name=":2" /><br />
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== Other works ==<br />
Actress and comedienne [[w:Whoopi_Goldberg|Whoopi Goldberg]] noted that she became friends with Futterman during her tenure at hosting the Academy Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/people/susan-futterman|title=Talking About Susan Futterman|accessdate=27 October 2024}}</ref><br />
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== Retirement ==<br />
Futterman retired in 2006, embarking on her "retirement occupation" as an art curator due to her interest in art, owing to her stepfather and art dealer, Frank Perls.<ref name=":0" /> <br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}</div>Joe Beaudoin Jr.