I'm sorry to have to share with you this news. David Angell, one of the co-creators and executive producers of FRASIER, and his wife Lynn were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston bound for Los Angeles. They were flying from their home on Cape Cod to attend tomorrows table read and the Emmys.
They will be greatly missed.
David
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My deepest sympathies to everyone who has been affected by the unfolding tragedy in America on September 11, 2001.
HILLSIDES
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The following are excerpts from news sources regarding David and Lynn Angell
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From the October 2001 issue of "Written By" (via http://www.wga.org)
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Monday September 17 1:50 PM ET
Snapshots of Grieving Nation
By The Associated Press,
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - "Frasier" executive producer David L.
Angell was remembered at a memorial service Monday for his ability
to make people laugh.
Angell, a 54-year-old Rhode Island native, and his wife, Lynn,
52, were on one of the hijacked Los Angeles-bound airliners that
brought down the World Trade Center.
The Most Rev. Kenneth A. Angell, the bishop of Burlington, Vt.,
said the Mass the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence,
telling the hundreds who attended that his brother touched many
lives with his comedy.
"David, you know in just one show, you reached more people than
I have reached in my whole life," he said.
The bishop said that he was sometimes approached by parishioners
who questioned how he could allow his brother to write shows that
often featured morally questionable behavior by its characters.
Angell said he would respond: "I love my brother, he loves me.
We have a wonderful relationship. But I don't tell him how to write
and he doesn't tell me how to run the diocese of Burlington."
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September 14
Lynn and David Angell Remembered at Hillsides
By Hillsides
Maple sugared candies from Vermont, chocolate shaped lobsters from Cape Cod, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, and 66 handwritten postcards are a few favorite things Lynn Angell left behind in the memories of Hillsides' children. Lynn Angell, 52, and her husband, David Angell, 54, died in the World Trade Center disaster on Tuesday. The Angells were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 departing from Boston to Los Angeles.
"Lynn was the life of the library, a vital source," said Candy Puchta, Hillsides' assistant librarian who is one of many volunteers that coordinates the programs and services at Hillsides Children's Library. Candy volunteered with Lynn, who was Hillsides' head librarian, since 1992 when the first official library opened on Hillsides' 17-acre campus in the San Rafael Hills in Pasadena.
A driving force behind the creation, interior design and coordination of Hillsides' Children's Library was Lynn, a former librarian at Campbell Hall, a private school in North Hollywood. Lynn received a master of library science degree from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor of science in education from Auburn University.
David Angell, an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning television show "Frasier", among other popular television programs, would often give Lynn ideas for the various themes used during each week's "Library Day". For the children, "Library Day" is an opportunity to sit and listen to some incredible storytelling by spirited volunteers. Lynn, along with other volunteers, would choose the themes and decide on theme appropriate props, books to read, videos to watch and the snacks to be served.
Lynn was immediately drawn to Hillsides, stemming from the 25 years of support Campbell Hall has given the nonprofit organization and continues to provide. The Angells began contributing to Hillsides in 1986. After reading an article addressing the need for a library volunteer in Outreach, Hillsides' community newsletter, Lynn began volunteering in 1990.
"She started the library with a box of books and her desire to create a library program," said Barbara Schmidt, director of community resources, who works closely with library volunteers. "As we began to collect more books, they were organized on the auditorium stage, making that our library center. Lynn read books to children while they sat on the puffy pillows she had made so they could be comfortable on the floor."
Forming the nature of the library program, Lynn approached Hillsides' executive director John Hitchcock and asked if Hillsides had space they could dedicate to the Library. Lynn offered to donate funds to renovate the old yellow barn that was being used for storage so the children could have a library. With Hillsides' maintenance staff's construction skills and the materials to build bookshelves, Lynn's determination helped accomplish her goal.
After many years, Hillsides launched their first capital campaign. Lynn quickly volunteered to serve on the committee that would raise the money to create the Children's Village. To bring all services and programs closer to the children, the Children's Village was comprised of two new children's cottages, renovations of a cottage, Hillsides Education Center and lobby, in addition to the Children's Resource Center. The Children's Resource Center included space for the Children's Library, a dream Lynn was able to fulfill for the children of Hillsides. The Health Center on the second floor of the Children's Resource Center is named in honor of David and Lynn Angell, whose donation was given through the Angell Foundation.
Not only do the Angells leave a legacy to Hillsides, all children who have listened to Lynn have been given a great gift. An immediate interest in books and reading evolved in the children. Whenever there was a duplication of books on campus, they were distributed to the children who cherished getting them.
Recalling a story Lynn shared with him about rocks, one of the themes chosen for the library, Hitchcock said "We were suppose to go to lunch and Lynn said 'I can't take you in my car. It's full of prop rocks.' They looked absolutely real. She had borrowed them from David who also gave her the idea for the Stone Soup theme with Rocky Road ice cream as the snack." Everyone who worked with Lynn at Hillsides was extremely impressed with how well she knew each child. She knew their names and something about the children that made each child special.
"Lynn sent each child of Hillsides a postcard with handwritten, individual messages. This was Lynn's way of staying closer to the children while she vacationed in Cape Cod," said Betsy Hamlin, Hillsides' book repair volunteer and close friend of Lynn. "When we passed out the postcards, some children new to Hillsides would say 'But she doesn't know me'. The children sat down to compare notes and were so excited because their postcards were just for them and about them."
Hamlin knew that Lynn enjoyed sending special treats like chocolate shaped lobsters from Cape Cod or maple sugared candies from Vermont to the children of Hillsides.
"David and Lynn were the most genteel people I ever met. I was always impressed with the love, respect and support they gave one another, even in the smallest things," said Nancy Garni, Hillsides' director of development, who shared that Lynn and David donated towards the educational funds of several residents at Hillsides. "They were both kind people with gentle spirits, religiously attending events and activities at Hillsides no matter how busy they were."
Hitchcock remembers Lynn as "an optimist, energetic person who always had a smile and was always interested in the kids. I loved seeing her because it felt good to be around Lynn."
"I was also so impressed with not only the relationship David and Lynn had with each other, but how unassuming and humble they were, so down to earth and willing to give credit to others at the expense of recognition to themselves."
As Schmidt recalls the Angells had lived in three homes in Southern California before electing to live permanently in Pasadena. The Angells made that decision so that Lynn could be near Hillsides' children. "I do know they loved their home in Pasadena, it was a special place for them. But their heart was in Cape Cod. That was really home to them." In what turned out to be a fatal return back to their special place in Pasadena, Lynn and David will be remembered in the hearts of so many individuals they touched.
The Angells' family is planning memorial services for Friday, September 14, at 10:00 a.m. in Birmingham, Alabama, and Monday, September 17, Noon in Providence, Rhode Island. A private, invitation only memorial service takes place at Paramount Studios on Sunday, September 16. The family desires that memorial gifts be made in memory of Lynn and David Angell to Hillsides at 940 Avenue 64 in Pasadena, California, 91105. For more information, visit www.Hillsides.org or call (323) 255-9005. Inspiring loyalty and a love of Hillsides' children, Lynn will remain an unforgettable visionary behind the Children's Library where echoes of her storytelling voice will be heard throughout every Hillsides' "Library Day" to come. David leaves behind years of laughter with memorable characters in what are some of our favorite television shows, "Cheers", "Wings", and "Frasier".
Founded in 1913, Hillsides is a nonprofit treatment center serving over 2,500 children and 650 families. Hillsides has never wavered from its commitment to creating a safe place for children. Although it began as an orphanage, Hillsides now works to end the cycle of abuse that destroys children and tears families apart. Loving care, therapeutic healing, special education, family crisis intervention and children's rights advocacy are at the heart of the agency's mission. At Hillsides, children who have been removed from their families, due to extreme physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse, can still find a "safe place" to call home.
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ACADEMY NEWS
Attacks Claim One of Emmy's Brightest
David Angell, who won eight Emmy Awards for writing and producing "Cheers" and "Frasier," died with his wife Lynn in the September 11 terror attacks on Manhattan. NBC reported that the 54-year-old executive producer of "Frasier" -- who was nominated this year for the fourteenth time -- was en route to Los Angeles with Lynn from their summer home in Chatham, Mass. They had reportedly attended a family wedding and were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston.
Angell won his first Emmy in 1984 for writing in a comedy series: the "Old Flames" episode of "Cheers." His first producing Emmy came in 1989, when "Cheers" was named outstanding comedy series. He won consecutive awards from 1994 through 1998 for writing or executive producing on "Frasier," and his show was among the favorites again this year.
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Hear what those that knew them had to say:
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Friday September 14 08:59 AM EDT David Angell, a Creator and Writer for 'Frasier' Sitcom, Dies at 54 By The New York Times David Angell, a creator and executive producer of the NBC series "Frasier," died on Tuesday on American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston.
David Angell, a creator and executive producer of the NBC series "Frasier," died on Tuesday on American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston. He was 54 and lived in Pasadena, Calif.
Mr. Angell was returning with his wife, Lynn, 52, to California from their summer home in Chatham, Mass., NBC reported. Flight 11 was hijacked and flown into the north tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan at about 8:45 a.m.
Kevin Scully, a family friend and funeral director, said the family had received confirmation of the death from the airline.
Along with Peter Casey and David Lee, Mr. Angell was a creator and executive producer of "Frasier," starring Kelsey Grammer, and had written for the show. Produced in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, "Frasier" has won 24 Emmy Awards since its creation in 1993, including 5 wins for outstanding comedy series.
Mr. Angell joined the Army after graduating from Providence College and served at the Pentagon until 1972. He shuttled between jobs at an engineering company in Boston and at an insurance firm in Rhode Island before moving to Los Angles in 1977. There he sold his first script. Five years later, after working at various temporary jobs, Mr. Angell sold his second script, to "Archie Bunker's Place." In 1983 he joined "Cheers" as a staff writer.
By 1985 Mr. Angell had joined Mr. Casey and Mr. Lee as a supervising producer and writer on "Cheers." He won two Emmys for that show. In 1990 the three were the creators and executive producers for "Wings."
Ms. Angell was active in charitable causes, among them Hillsides, a home for children in Pasadena.
Mr. Angell is survived by a brother, Bishop Kenneth Angell of Burlington, Vt., and a sister, Claire Miller of Stowe, Vt. Ms. Angell is survived by her mother, Marilyn Edwards, and a brother, Dr. Thomas Edwards, both of Birmingham, Ala.
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Thursday September 13 02:53 AM EDT
Set of 'Frasier' quiet to honor creator Angell
By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- The set of Paramount Network
Television's hit comedy "Frasier" stayed dark Wednesday.
As most primetime series resumed production Wednesday after a mass shutdown
Tuesday, the cast and crew of the NBC show didn't return to work in the wake
of the death of co-creator/executive producer David Angell, a passenger on
one of the two planes that were crashed Tuesday by terrorists into the World
Trade Center towers in New York. The relationship of series star Kelsey
Grammer and co-creators/executive producers Peter Casey and David Lee with
Angell goes back more than 15 years when the four of them worked on NBC's
"Cheers." No date has been set yet for when "Frasier" production will
resume.
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Wednesday September 12 2:06 AM ET
CNN analyst, "Frasier" scribe among hijack victims
By Melissa Grego
Writer-producer David Angell, who co-created "Frasier" and "Wings" with partners Peter Casey and David Lee, was a passenger, along with wife Lynn, on American Airlines Flight 11 -- the L.A.-bound American Airlines flight that departed Boston and crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
A native of Rhode Island, Angell joined "Cheers" in 1983 as a staff writer; he'd been with Paramount Network Television ever since. Angell hooked up with Casey and Lee in 1985 and the trio became supervising producers on the hit comedy.
Angell, Casey and Lee then formed Grub Street Prods., which created "Wings," the NBC comedy that spent seven years on the network. After "Cheers" ended its run in 1993, the trio were tapped to create and executive produce "Frasier."
Grub Street disbanded in the late '90s after Lee opted to focus on theater; Angell and Casey had been working on new projects together.
Casey and Lee were stunned by Tuesday's news.
"David Angell was not only our partner but also our friend for the past 16 years," they said. "He was a kind and gentle man with a quiet exterior that masked one of the sharpest comedy minds ever to write for television. We join their family and other friends in mourning their passing."
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Angell, Olson among industry victims
By Steve Brennan
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- David Angell, Emmy-winning co-creator of the hit sitcoms "Frasier" and "Wings," and his wife, Lynn, were among the victims of Tuesday's World Trade Center terrorist attack. They were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston, one of two hijacked passenger aircraft that smashed into the Twin Towers.
The Angells had been attending a family wedding in the Cape Cod, Mass., area and were returning home on the doomed Los Angeles-bound flight.
Confirmation of the deaths came as United and American Airlines worked throughout the day to contact families of the passengers on all four doomed aircraft in Tuesday's terrorist strike.
It was not clear at press time when a full manifest of passengers would be released by the airlines. A United spokeswoman said: "At this stage we are working on contacting the families. There may be a manifest available as soon as today, but at this stage we just don't know." Three of the aircraft were bound for Los Angeles, the other for San Francisco.
"Every effort is being made in every corner of the company to help the families of our customers and our fellow employees," American Airlines chairman and CEO Donald Carty said.
Tributes to the Angells, Olson, Lewin and Glazer were issued as the names of the dead began to unfurl slowly in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
A statement from Paramount on the death of the Angells said: "Words cannot express our sorrow at this incredible loss. David has been at Paramount since 1983, and his talent, wit and humor will be deeply missed. We cherished our relationship with David and Lynn, and our hearts go out to their family and friends, especially David's partners Peter Casey and David Lee."
Lee and Casey said: "David Angell was not only our partner, but also our friend for the past 16 years. He was a kind and gentle man with a quiet exterior that masked one of the sharpest comedy minds ever to write for television. His fingerprints are all over some of the funniest moments in 'Cheers,' 'Wings' and 'Frasier.'
"What few know is that he was also a man of great faith, a quality that allowed him to navigate the shoals of the entertainment industry with unusual grace and level-headedness. It was our privilege to have known and worked with him. David's wife, Lynn, was the love of his life. She epitomized Southern graciousness and charm. As we write these words, it is still impossible for us to imagine that they are gone. We join their family and other friends in mourning their passing."
NBC, home of "Cheers," "Frasier" and "Wings," joined in the tribute to the Angells. "NBC joins the entertainment community in extending our heartfelt condolences to the families of David and Lynn Angell, as well as to all other families of victims affected in the wake of this tragic event," the company said. "David was one of television's premier talents and has been a valued member of the NBC family for a long time. Words can't begin to express how much he'll be missed by all of us at NBC."
A statement from the Roman Catholic diocese in Burlington, Vt., where David Angell's brother is bishop, said: "The Roman Catholic diocese of Burlington is in mourning today over the tragic loss of their bishop's brother and sister-in law, David and Lynn Angell. They were returning to Los Angeles from their summer home in Chatham, Cape Cod, where Bishop Angell and other relatives had just completed a joyful family wedding weekend. Bishop Angell first learned that his loved ones were listed as passengers on the hijacked American Airlines flight after completing a special noon Mass for the victims and their families of the attack."
Copyright © 1999-2003
***DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affliated nor do I represent Paramount, Grub Street Productions, or any of the companies that sell "Frasier" merchandise. Any and all information provided is solely for the purpose of giving "Frasier" fans an idea of what's available to them.
Sad news from David Lee, one of the creators of "Frasier"...
Friends-
Please help the relief effort with the donation of blood (1-800-GIVE-LIFE), funds (1-800-HELP-NOW), and time by volunteering with the American Red Cross or America's Blood Center (1-888-BLOOD-88). They can use as much help as possible in this time of crisis.
940 Avenue 64
Pasadena, California, 91105
For more information, visit www.Hillsides.org or call (323) 255-9005.
Wednesday September 12 12:42 AM EDT
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