James Leaders Loper (September 4, 1931 – July 8, 2013) was an American television executive who co-founded KCET in 1964 and served as Executive Director of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences from 1983 to 1999.
Loper was born to John Loper and Ellen Leaders in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 4, 1931. [1] He obtained a bachelor's degree in journalism from Arizona State University in 1953, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. [2] He earned his master's degree from the University of Denver in 1957. [1] He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1959 to begin his doctoral studies at the University of Southern California (USC), which he finished in 1967. [1] He then taught as a faculty member at USC. [1]
Loper co-founded KCET, a PBS affiliate in Los Angeles, during the early 1960s as an affiliate of National Educational Television. [3] [1] He was working on his doctorate at the University of Southern California at the time of KCET's launch in 1964. [3] Loper became KCET's first director of education from 1964 to 1966. [3] He became the President and General Manager from 1966 to 1971, before serving as the President KCET from 1971 until 1983. [3] [1]
Loper then served as the Executive Director of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which holds the Emmy Awards, from 1984 until 1999. [3] Under Loper, the Emmy Awards were expanded to include nominees from cable television in 1988. [3] [1] Loper oversaw the creation of the Archive of American Television, which interviews and archives notable people from the history of television. [3] Loper was also responsible for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences's relocation to its current headquarters in North Hollywood, California. [3]
James Loper died at his home in Pasadena, California, on July 8, 2013, at the age of 81. [3] He was survived by his wife, former Los Angeles Times columnist Mary Lou Loper, and two children, Elizabeth Serhan and James L. Loper Jr. [1]
James Leaders Loper (September 4, 1931 – July 8, 2013) was an American television executive who co-founded KCET in 1964 and served as Executive Director of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences from 1983 to 1999.
Loper was born to John Loper and Ellen Leaders in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 4, 1931. [1] He obtained a bachelor's degree in journalism from Arizona State University in 1953, where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. [2] He earned his master's degree from the University of Denver in 1957. [1] He moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1959 to begin his doctoral studies at the University of Southern California (USC), which he finished in 1967. [1] He then taught as a faculty member at USC. [1]
Loper co-founded KCET, a PBS affiliate in Los Angeles, during the early 1960s as an affiliate of National Educational Television. [3] [1] He was working on his doctorate at the University of Southern California at the time of KCET's launch in 1964. [3] Loper became KCET's first director of education from 1964 to 1966. [3] He became the President and General Manager from 1966 to 1971, before serving as the President KCET from 1971 until 1983. [3] [1]
Loper then served as the Executive Director of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which holds the Emmy Awards, from 1984 until 1999. [3] Under Loper, the Emmy Awards were expanded to include nominees from cable television in 1988. [3] [1] Loper oversaw the creation of the Archive of American Television, which interviews and archives notable people from the history of television. [3] Loper was also responsible for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences's relocation to its current headquarters in North Hollywood, California. [3]
James Loper died at his home in Pasadena, California, on July 8, 2013, at the age of 81. [3] He was survived by his wife, former Los Angeles Times columnist Mary Lou Loper, and two children, Elizabeth Serhan and James L. Loper Jr. [1]