Grant Tinker was a television producer and executive who changed the face of American TV with his innovative shows and his leadership of NBC. He was the co-founder of MTM Enterprises, the production company behind such hits as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hill Street Blues, and St. Elsewhere. He was also the former husband of actress Mary Tyler Moore, who died earlier in 2016. Tinker passed away on November 28, 2016, at the age of 90. But what was the cause of his death? Here are some facts you need to know.
Dementia and Other Health Issues
According to his son, producer Mark Tinker, Grant Tinker died at his home in Los Angeles, California. No official cause of death was released, but his death certificate listed dementia as one of the factors that contributed to his demise Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental abilities that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It can be caused by various diseases and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and brain injury
Tinker had been suffering from dementia for several years before his death, and his condition had worsened in the months prior. He had also been dealing with other health issues, such as heart problems and kidney failure His son said that he was under hospice care at his home, and that he died peacefully with his family by his side
A Legacy of Quality Television
Grant Tinker was widely regarded as one of the most influential and respected figures in the history of television. He started his career as a radio executive at NBC in 1949, and later became the head of West Coast programming for the network, where he was involved in developing shows like I Spy, Dr. Kildare, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Star Trek
He left NBC in 1967 to join Universal Television, and then 20th Century Fox Television, before forming his own production company, MTM Enterprises, with his then-wife Mary Tyler Moore in 1969. MTM produced some of the most acclaimed and popular sitcoms and dramas of the 1970s and 1980s, such as The Bob Newhart Show, Rhoda, WKRP in Cincinnati, Lou Grant, The White Shadow, and Remington Steele. MTM was known for its high standards of quality, creativity, and realism, as well as its distinctive logo featuring a meowing kitten
In 1981, Tinker returned to NBC as the chairman and CEO, at a time when the network was struggling with low ratings, profits, and morale. He turned NBC around by focusing on quality programming and giving more autonomy and support to the producers and writers. Under his leadership, NBC launched some of the most successful and critically acclaimed shows of the 1980s, such as The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, The Golden Girls, Night Court, Miami Vice, and Hill Street Blues. He also introduced the slogan “Must See TV” to promote the network’s prime time lineup
Tinker left NBC in 1986, after its parent company RCA was bought by General Electric. He then tried to repeat his success with MTM by forming a new production company, GTG Entertainment, but the venture failed and the company closed in 1990. He retired from the television industry and lived a private life until his death.
Tinker received many honors and awards for his contributions to television, including the Peabody Award, the Television Hall of Fame, and the Governors Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He was praised by his peers and colleagues as a visionary, a mentor, a gentleman, and a legend.
Grant Tinker cause of death was a sad loss for the television world, but his legacy lives on in the shows he created and the people he inspired. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest TV producers and executives of all time.
