E. Duke Vincent(1932-2024)
- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Emmy award-winning television producer E. Duke Vincent was born Edward Michael Ventimiglia in Jersey City, New Jersey.
In 1954, he graduated from Seton Hall University.
Before Hollywood and television, Duke began his first career in the United States Navy as a Naval Aviator flying both fighter and attack aircraft. In 1959 he was selected to fly for the elite Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team for the 1960-61 seasons. During this period, an NBC Television Series The Blue Angels (1960) was being produced and Duke was tasked with flying a camera jet to shoot sequences for the show. It was that experience which sparked his interest in television.
After his Blue Angels tour, Duke resigned from the Navy and began his entertainment career in New York with RKO General and Seven Arts writing and producing documentaries. While in Los Angeles filming his documentaries, he met Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard the executive producers of The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961). From that meeting and association began his long television career in writing and producing.
In 1977 Duke met Aaron Spelling and became his partner in 1978. They were partners until Spelling's death in 2006.
In 1982, he married the love of his life, actress Pamela Hensley (of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) and Matt Houston (1982) fame).
His forty year Hollywood career included 1600 hours of prime time and 750 hours of daytime television, several becoming big hits! His titles when he retired were Executive Producer and Vice Chairman of Spelling Television.
After retiring from television, Duke wrote four novels.
In 1954, he graduated from Seton Hall University.
Before Hollywood and television, Duke began his first career in the United States Navy as a Naval Aviator flying both fighter and attack aircraft. In 1959 he was selected to fly for the elite Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team for the 1960-61 seasons. During this period, an NBC Television Series The Blue Angels (1960) was being produced and Duke was tasked with flying a camera jet to shoot sequences for the show. It was that experience which sparked his interest in television.
After his Blue Angels tour, Duke resigned from the Navy and began his entertainment career in New York with RKO General and Seven Arts writing and producing documentaries. While in Los Angeles filming his documentaries, he met Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard the executive producers of The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961). From that meeting and association began his long television career in writing and producing.
In 1977 Duke met Aaron Spelling and became his partner in 1978. They were partners until Spelling's death in 2006.
In 1982, he married the love of his life, actress Pamela Hensley (of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) and Matt Houston (1982) fame).
His forty year Hollywood career included 1600 hours of prime time and 750 hours of daytime television, several becoming big hits! His titles when he retired were Executive Producer and Vice Chairman of Spelling Television.
After retiring from television, Duke wrote four novels.
