Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

David E. Kelley

Role / Field:

Award-winning TV writer and producer known for diverse, high-profile series.

Born:

1956-04-04

Century / Era:

1956s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

David Edward Kelley (born April 4, 1956) is an American television writer, producer, and former attorney. He has created and/or produced a number of television series including Doogie Howser, M.D., Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice and its spin-off Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Goliath, Big Little Lies, and Big Sky. Kelley is one of very few screenwriters to have created shows that have aired on all four top commercial American television networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC) as well as cable giant HBO. David Edward Kelley was born on April 4, 1956, in Waterville, Maine, raised in Belmont, Massachusetts, and attended the Belmont Hill School.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father is Jack Kelley, a member of the United States Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Kelley was a stick boy for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association in their inaugural season of 1972–1973 when his father coached the team. Kelley was captain of the Princeton Tigers men's ice hockey team at Princeton University, where he graduated in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in political science. Early on, he demonstrated a creative and quirky bent. In his junior year at Princeton, Kelley submitted a paper for...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. A. Milne — Contemporary (Died in 1956) (1956): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Aileen Wuornos — Contemporary (Born in 1956) (1956): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Alain Ducasse — Contemporary (Born in 1956) (1956): Renowned French-born Monégasque chef, celebrated for Michelin-starred cuisine.
• Abdullah Öcalan — Shared historical date (04-04 · Born) (1948): Founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and advocate for Kurdish rights.
• Agha Hashar Kashmiri — Shared historical date (04-04 · Born) (1879): Pioneering Urdu poet, playwright, and dramatist known for Shakespearean adaptations.
• Alan Davis — Historical peer (Born in 1956) (1956): English comic book writer and artist known for Captain Britain and X-Men work.
• Alan Eustace — Historical peer (Born in 1956) (1956): Pioneering computer scientist known for his work at Google and record-breaking space dive.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Historical peer (Died in 1972) (1972): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Alec Empire — Historical peer (Born in 1972) (1972): German experimental electronic musician, founder of Atari Teenage Riot and digital hardcore.
• A. S. Neill — Historical peer (Died in 1973) (1973): Scottish progressive educator, founder of Summerhill, championing self-governance.
• 1956 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1956
• April 4 (04-04) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 4

Frequently Asked Questions about David E. Kelley