Grant Tinker

First be best, then be first.

-Grant Tinker

Grant Almerin Tinker
January 11, 1926 – November 28, 2016

Grant Tinker died at his Los Angeles, California home on November 28th at the age of 90.

Tinker was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Margaret (née Hessin) and Arthur Almerin Tinker. During World War II, Tinker served in the Army Air Forces Reserve. Tinker graduated from Dartmouth College. He is the father of producers Mark Tinker and John Tinker.

Tinker married Mary Tyler Moore in 1962, and in 1969 they formed the television production company MTM Enterprises. While creating MTM, Tinker hired Room 222 writers James L. Brooks and Allan Burns to create and produce the company's first television series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. MTM produced such popular American sitcoms and drama television series such as Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere.

After his divorce from Moore in 1981, Tinker left MTM to become the chairman and CEO of NBC, then the perennial last-place American television network (in terms of Nielsen ratings and profits). During Tinker's tenure in NBC's top position, the network regained ratings and produced popular shows like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Night Court, and Hill Street Blues. Tinker left the network in 1986, shortly after its parent company RCA was bought by General Electric.

After leaving NBC, Tinker tried to repeat his success with MTM by forming GTG (Grant Tinker-Gannett) Entertainment but the business venture failed and the company closed in 1990.

Good Night Mr. Tinker

Stay Tuned

Tony Figueroa