David Angell

David Lawrence Angell (April 10, 1946 – September 11, 2001) was an American producer of sitcoms. Angell won multiple Emmy Awards as the creator and executive producer, along with Peter Casey and David Lee, of the comedy series Frasier. Angell and his wife Lynn both died aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Center, during the September 11 attacks.

Early life and education

Angell was born in West Barrington, Rhode Island to Henry and Mae (née Cooney) Angell. He received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Providence College. He entered the U.S. Army upon graduation and served at the Pentagon until 1972. He then moved to Boston and worked as a methods analyst at an engineering company and later at an insurance firm in Rhode Island.

His brother, the Most Rev. Kenneth Angell, is a Roman Catholic prelate and former bishop of Burlington, Vermont.

Career

Angell moved to Los Angeles in 1977. His first script was sold to the producers of the Annie Flynn series. Five years later, he sold his second script to Archie Bunker's Place. In 1983, he joined Cheers as a staff writer. In 1985, Angell joined forces with Peter Casey and David Lee as Cheers supervising producers/writers. The trio received 37 Emmy Award nominations and won 24 Emmy Awards, including the above-mentioned for Frasier, as well as an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy for Cheers, in 1989, which Angell, Casey, Lee and the series' other producers shared, and Outstanding Writing/Comedy Emmy for Cheers, which Angell received in 1984. After working together as producers on Cheers, Angell, Casey and Lee formed Grub Street Productions. In 1990, they created and executive-produced the comedy series Wings.

Death

Angell and his wife, Lynn, were among the passengers of American Airlines Flight 11 who were killed in the September 11 attacks, when the plane was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001.

Legacy

The American Screenwriters Association awards the annual David Angell Humanitarian Award to any individual in the entertainment industry who contributes to global well-being through donations of time, expertise or other support to improve the human condition.

At the National 9/11 Memorial, Angell and his wife are memorialized at the North Pool, on Panel N-1, along with other passengers from Flight 11.

Television Producer. He was an Emmy award winning producer of the television situation comedy "Frasier". In addition he also wrote episodes of the television comedies "Wings" and "Cheers". He and his wife Lynn were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when terrorists took over the plane and crashed it into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. His name can be found on Panel N-1 of the National September 11 Memorial in Manhattan, New York City, New York. He was buried, along with his wife, in, Saint Ann Cemetery, Cranston, Rhode Island.

Bio by: Ron Moody

Sources:

• 911 Memorial
• National September 11 Memorial Find-A-Grave
• Saint Ann Cemetery Find-A-Grave
• Rhode Island Heritage
• Wikipedia