William Dozier, a renowned American television and movie producer, reached the pinnacle of success in the mid-1960s with his iconic show, Batman.
Born on February 13, 1908, in Omaha, Nebraska, Dozier was notable not only for his professional accomplishments but also for his marriages. After divorcing his first wife, he married Academy Award-winning actress Joan Fontaine from 1946 to 1951 and later married movie star Ann Rutherford, whom he remained with until his death on April 23, 1991.
In 1948, Dozier and Fontaine co-founded Rampart Productions, which produced the critically acclaimed films Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) starring Fontaine and You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) featuring James Stewart. Dozier served as executive producer on both projects.
As the 1950s began, Dozier transitioned to television, producing the long-running series Danger (1950-1955). Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he continued to work as a television producer, creating the short-lived series Rod Brown of the Rocket Rangers (1953) and The Loner (1965).
Dozier's crowning achievement came in 1966 with the cultural phenomenon that was Batman, which ran for three seasons and spawned a feature film, Batman: The Movie (1966). That same year, he also launched the moderately successful show and The Tammy Grimes Show (1966),which, unfortunately, was a notorious flop, airing only five episodes before being canceled after four.
Following the 1969 box office failure of the movie The Big Bounce, Dozier retired from producing, but he later enjoyed a modest second career as an actor in the 1970s and early 1980s.
