CLASS OF 2001
Lew Hunter was a writer, producer, and executive at Columbia, Lorimar, Paramount, Disney, NBC, and CBS. He taught at UCLA starting in 1979, becoming Chair of the Screenwriting Department, and is one of the premier screenwriting teachers in the world.
Born in Guide Rock, Lew was a disc jockey and floor manager at KOLN Radio and TV in Lincoln while attending Nebraska Wesleyan University. After receiving his Master’s Degree at Northwestern University, he joined NBC in Los Angeles, landing a job as a staff page while going for his second Master’s at UCLA.
From the ’50s on, Hunter has worked a wide range of jobs (editor, producer, programming executive) for TV and film. He worked extensively in television, writing TV movies and series such as The Sound of Love and The Yellow Rose.
It was in the classroom, however, where he found the most acclaim. Hunter taught screenwriting for more than 20 years at the University of California, Los Angeles’ department of film and television. The author of the wildly acclaimed book Screenwriting 434, Hunter conducted seminars and workshops internationally.
Today Lew is generous with his time and talent, helping others and teaching them how to make their dreams come true.
In retirement, Lew moved back to Nebraska. He and his wife, Pamela, live in Superior.
Lew passed away on January 6, 2023.
