Six television legends will be inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame on November 16. Those chosen for the 26th ceremony are: Debbie Allen, Ken Burns, Bob Daly, Robert L. Johnson, Rita Moreno and Donald A. Morgan. In addition, actor Sean Penn will receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. The event will be held in North Hollywood at the Saban Media Center.
The Hall of Fame event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center and includes the unveiling of new busts of previous inductees, the induction of the 2022 Hall of Fame recipients, and the presentation of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
The first induction was held in 1984 and it’s been an annual tradition almost every year. That class of legends consisted of actress/executive Lucille Ball, actor/comedian Milton Berle, writer Paddy Chayefsky, writer/producer Norman Lear, journalist Edward R. Murrow, CBS founder William S. Paley, and NBC founder David Sarnoff.
The class from late 2017 featured the inductions of production designer Roy Christopher, producer/writer Shonda Rhimes, comedian/actress Joan Rivers, producer/writer John Wells and the original cast of “Saturday Night Live” (Dan Akyroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner).
And the most recent class before the pandemic started in 2020 featured executive Bob Iger, executive Geraldine Laybourne, actor/producer Seth MacFarlane, director Jay Sandrich and actress Cicely Tyson.
Details from the Television Academy about each 2022 inductee:
Debbie Allen – The six-time Emmy-winning director/choreographer has had a celebrated career spanning three decades, starring in hit series including Fame and in the Broadway revival of West Side Story. She has also worked extensively behind the scenes with legendary artists and on popular television series, including Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder.
Ken Burns – The 16-time Emmy winner has been making exceptional documentary films for over 40 years, earning acclaim for his work that includes: The Civil War, Baseball, The Vietnam War, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, The Central Park Five and most recently The U.S. and the Holocaust.
Bob Daly – The television executive and entertainment industry visionary began his career at age 18 at CBS, becoming their first president of entertainment and continuing his association with the network over the span of 25 years. He then led Warner Bros. to record successes in the 1980s-1990s, leading the teams behind record-breaking television series including Friends and ER, pioneering the creation and use of DVDs, and creating The WB Network.
Robert L. Johnson – As the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), Johnson changed the face of television with the creation of the nation’s first Black-owned cable television network. In 1991, BET became the first black-owned company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2007, USA Today named Johnson one of the “25 Most Influential Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years.” In 2014, Johnson entered the streaming programming business with the launch of ACORN TV, British mysteries and drama, and ALLBLK, Black-oriented series and movies.
Rita Moreno – The acclaimed actress and EGOT winner has countless credits from more than seven decades in the entertainment industry, starring in critically acclaimed series including: The Electric Company, Sesame Street, Nine to Five, Oz, Cane, Happily Divorced, Jane the Virgin, and the Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s beloved classic, One Day At A Time. Moreno’s career accolades also include the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush, the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, the Life Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors and the Peabody Award.
Donald A. Morgan – The 11-time Emmy winner built a long-lasting career as director of photography and lighting design on both classic and current series including Good Times, The Jeffersons, Three’s Company, Mr. Belvedere, The Golden Girls, Home Improvement, The Ranch and The Connors.
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