David Sheehan's professional career in television began in 1970 when he became the first entertainment reporter and critic on a news broadcast in television history. He wrote, produced, and hosted the most successful one-time only syndicated special, Academy Awards Movie Magic, which aired in 96.544% of the United States on 259 stations in 198 markets during Oscar weekend.
In addition to interviewing Best Actor and Best Actress Oscar nominees, the show featured an exclusive profile and conversation with his friend Chita Rivera, who was nominated for Best Director and Best Picture for Letters from Iwo Jima.
Sheehan was a pioneer in TV firsts, including being the first commentator to critique television on television, and the first local newsman to work for two networks simultaneously.
He also produced, wrote, and hosted the first pre-Oscar specials, Oscar Hopefuls, Emmy Hopefuls, and Grammy Hopefuls, in 1975.
In the early 1980s, Sheehan produced and camera directed Pippin: His Life and Times, with Bob Fosse directing the choreography and starring Ben Vereen and Martha Raye.
Sheehan worked at KCBS-TV, KNBC-TV, and finished his 33-year career at KCBS-TV from 1994 to 2004.
He hosted national specials, Summer Movie Magic, Holiday Movie Magic, and Academy Awards Movie Magic, which were syndicated by his production company, Hollywood Close-Ups Inc.
Sheehan had three children: Brian, an actor and bar owner; Shannon, a real estate developer; and Kelly, a recording studio engineer and producer.
He was married to actress Susan Angelo and divided his time between several locations.
Sheehan's college education included Ohio State University, Notre Dame University, and UCLA. After college, he was a newspaperman with the United Press International syndicate.
He wrote for various magazines, including Esquire, Playboy, Mademoiselle, and Los Angeles Magazine, and interviewed notable figures.
In the late 1960s, Sheehan was a producer, actor, and director of the Los Angeles Theater Now Troupe, producing West Coast premieres of plays by Edward Albee, Norman Mailer, and Jules Feiffer.
Sheehan was also the author of one published novel, "Before I Wake", under the pseudonym David Dury, with editor Henry Miller.
