1996

The Late Shift
HBO movie
Betty Thomas, director
Jake Jacobson, unit production manager
Richard Graves, first assistant director
Robert Lorenz, second assistant director

This famous look at the politicking behind the scenes of a major network power play examines what went on at NBC after Johnny Carson left the late-night airwaves and Jay Leno and David Letterman squared off as the two most likely replacements. Helen Kushnick, Leno's tough-as-nails manager, played a huge role in him eventually getting the job, then found her hardball style alienating network executives. Thomas created an absorbing inside-out look at the network from Bill Carter's book and teleplay. John Michael Higgins (Letterman), Daniel Roebuck (Leno) and Kathy Bates (Kushnick) starred with Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr., Treat Williams and Sandra Bernhard as herself.