Biography

Robert Wingo is known for Murder, She Wrote (1984), The Incredible Hulk (1977) and Otherworld (1985).

Robert "Rob" Wingo (born August 19, 1949) was hired by Bill DeCinces, in 1979, as a set decorator, Universal MCA Film and Television Studio. Rob's set decorating career centered primarily with the Universal Television Division, assigned by Bill DeCinces to various television productions. When the CBS TV "Murder, She Wrote" pilot was filmed in the 1984 summer, Rob and Thomas Bugenhagen shared the set decorator credit, working with the TV pilot art department staff, Thomas Meleck (Production Designer), and Mary Ann Biddle (Art Director). The pilot filmed distant location exteriors and some interiors in Mendocino, Northern California; utilizing the local exterior Ranger's Park office building, the Mendocino Hotel-Lodge exteriors and grounds. the hotel's interior lobby renamed the "Hill House" for the series; the Victorian (stand-in for Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove) house exterior street, yard and house, which was occupied and used by a local doctor as his office. The "green's crew" added flats of flowers to the garden plantings around the house and yard for Angela Lansbury's establishing house shots and for her scenes performed in front of the house's yard. Other Mendocino shop and street exteriors were initially filmed for the series establishing shots, which required Rob and Tom's swing gang crew to "decorate" the Mendocino township as Cabot Cove. Returning to Universal Studios, the Sheriff's office; Jessica Fletcher's Victorian interiors, including the Kitchen, dining room, entrance hall with matching (Mendocino Victorian) front porch and doors, living room; Seth Haslet's doctor's office interiors, and exterior porch; a hotel ballroom set had been built on stage 29. After the pilot episode was filmed, production continued with Leslie Parsons replacing Thomas Meleck as Production Designer, and Rob, continuing his show assignment of decorating the series, becoming Rob's permanent staff assignment. Universal's Production Services Art Department, and every television production being filmed on the lot, had two unique art department (assigned) teams alternating, with a seven to nine day prep period (scouting with each show's new director), followed by a seven to nine day filming schedule, as required by the script's actor schedule and shooting board. Rob and Leslie as the permanent art department team, alternated with another assigned staff art director/set decorator team rotating each filmed episode. After the 1990-1991 - 7th season (and year), the original producing team Peter Fischer and Robert O'Neill quit the series over CBS's order to reduce guest star salaries. Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw (husband/agent) became Excutive Producers for the 1991-1992 (8th) season. Rob was replaced with Fred Winston for the 8th season. Winston was replaced at the end of the 8th season with set decorators Lee Poll and Bill Gregory (9-12 seasons/1992-1996). Rob decorated several television MOW and series projects after departing his "Murder, She Wrote" assignment. Rob Wingo (age 46) died March 30, 1996.

In the early Spring of 1991, CBS, in their negotiations for the show renewal, demanded Producers Peter S. Fischer and Robert F. O'Neill reduce the guest actor/performer's fee, as part of reducing the show's budget expenses. Neither Fischer nor O'Neill would consider cutting a guest performers' salary. Both refused to consider the CBS negotiation demand, refusing to continue producing the series. Universal and CBS, to continue with the shows renewal contract, gave Angela Lansbury and her Husband Peter Shaw the producing reigns. At the end of that season, Rob Wingo was informed that his "Murder, She Wrote" Set Decorating Position was terminated. When the Production Designer questioned the termination, Bob O'Neill informed him that Angela had complained about Rob's decorating all along! That they ignored her complaints because they were very satisfied with his work. Rob was replaced with a decorator friend of the Shaw Family for the next season. Fred Winston, who had alternated with Rob as the decorator during the initial two series years (1984-85) replaced Rob. Fred Winston lasted one season, replaced in 1992-93.

Known around the production department as "Rob" Wingo, with a flamboyant personal attitude, Rob became one of the Universal Studios' "character" Set Decorators in the department. Bill DeCinces assigned various decorators to the multiple productions the studio had in production during the late 70's through the 90's. The 1984 "Murder, She Wrote" pilot was Rob's main assignment, which continued as Rob's primary set decorator position through to the end of the 1992 season. Rob and his decorator lead man, and crew, were very busy dressing both the stage sets and the location sets, sometimes requiring two simultaneous crews. One crew dressing, another crew following the filmed sets, in order to strike both the stage and location sets. Rob also liked to "dress up" in his attire to emphasize his sense of style and fashion. On one morning, Rob put on a Nazi SS Uniform, borrowed from Universal Wardrobe Department, whip in hand, marching into the Universal Studio Black Tower Lobby, at the main entrance to the studio, demanding a meeting with Studio Boss Lew Wasserman! Studio lobby guards refused his admittance to the executive tower elevator, whereupon Rob goose stepped outside, entering his awaiting black Cadillac Studio Transportation limousine, which his driver had managed to borrow for the morning escapade. Disappearing onto Lankershim Boulevard, to re-enter at the vendor's gate entrance, Rob returned to the current filming stage boasting of being turned down at the Black Tower.