Fred Winston was born with a silver spoon on July 14, 1938. His mother, an actress, had a friendship with Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw. Fred became a set decorator working with the television division of Universal Studios Production Services department, under Bill DeCinces and Raymond Brandt. When the CBS TV series "Murder, She Wrote" (1984-1996) was in production, Fred had a couple of set decorating assignments during the 1984-1986 production years. When the show's original producers, Peter Fisher and Robert O'Niell quit after the fourth season, in rebellion to the CBS order to reduce guest star salaries, Angela Lansbury became Executive Producer. Angela Lansbury fired Rob Wingo, who had decorated the series from the first season, replacing him with Fred Winston for the seventh season. Fred Winston lasted only this one season, assuming his show-life time position was guaranteed. During the 7th season, the show's multiple directors, production manager Al Kraus, and the production team had problems with Fred's communication and supervisory skills related to his set decorating assignments. Failing to properly decorate the location and stage interior sets, (over scale sized furniture pieces, over spending his rental and purchase budgets), Fred was replaced the following 8th season with set decorators Lee Poll and Bill Gregory. Fred Winston, semi-retired to his Northern California beach property, died March 22, 2013.
