PRODUCER/WRITER/SHOWRUNNER
| Television: | |
| E! TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORIES | Story Producer, Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), 2020-2021 |
| HISTORY’S GREATEST MYSTERIES (History Channel) |
Executive Producer/Writer, 2-Hour Premiere episode The Escape of John Wilkes Booth, hosted by Laurence Fishburne. Big City TV/The Content Group, 2019-2020 |
| MURDER IN THE THIRST (BET) | Senior Producer, Wrote or re-wrote 7 of 10 episodes Marwar Junction Prod./Entertainment One, 2019 |
| GOTV CAMPAIGN (Social Media) | EP, Writer-Producer, Social Media get-out-the vote campaign featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Summer 2018 |
| 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS (NBC) | Feature Producer/Writer, 20 Years of Olympic Snowboarding, Aired before closing ceremony 2/18 |
| AUTOBIOGRAPHY (A&E) | Co-Executive Producer 2016-18, Wrote & produced first 3 series episodes. Asylum Entertainment |
| THE RUNNER (Go90) | Supervising Producer 2016, Live Internet Broadcast, Pilgrim Studios |
| BECOMING US (ABC Family) | Executive Producer/Creator 2014-2015, 10 One-Hour Episodes (Aired in 2015) |
| IN THEIR OWN WORDS (PBS) | Co-Executive Producer/Writer 2014-2015, 3 One-Hour Episodes (Aired September 2015) |
| PRETTY WICKED MOMS (Lifetime) | Executive Producer 2013, 9 One-Hour Episodes |
| PUSH GIRLS (Sundance Channel) | Executive Producer 2012, 14 Half-Hour Episodes |
| LITTLE PEOPLE BIG WORLD (TLC) | Executive Producer 2005-12, Eight Seasons: over 200 Half-Hour Episodes |
| SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC) | Staff Writer/Performer, 20 episodes, 1982-83 |
| BEHIND THE MUSIC (VH1) | Supervising Producer 1998-2001, Emmy Nomination 2000 & 2001 |
| RUBY (Style) | Executive Producer 2008-11 4 Seasons |
| COMEDY CENTRAL’S HOT LIST | Executive Producer 2009, One-Hour Special |
| STRANGE UNIVERSE (Syndicated) | Executive Producer/Creator, 1996-1997, Daily Strip, 240 Episodes |
| THE JUDDS (OWN) | Executive Producer 2010-11, 6 One-Hour Episodes |
| WHY NOT? SHANIA TWAIN (OWN) | Executive Producer 2010-11, 6 One-Hour Episodes |
| HOT IN CLEVELAND: TOO HOT FOR TV (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2011, One-Hour Special |
| CRISTINA FERRARE’S BIG BOWL OF LOVE (OWN) | Executive Producer 2011, 22 Half-Hour Episodes |
| HOT IN CLEVELAND: BEHIND THE HOTNESS (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2010, One-Hour Special |
| TV LAND MYTHS & LEGENDS (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2006-07, 14 Half Hour Episodes |
| THE 50 GREATEST TV ICONS (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2007, 2 One-Hour Primetime Specials |
| THE 100 GREATEST TV QUOTES & CATCHPHRASES (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2006, 5 One-Hour Primetime Specials |
| JACKPOT DIARIES (A&E) | Executive Producer 2005-06, 4 One-Hour Episodes |
| LOST WEEKEND (Travel) | Executive Producer 2006, 2 Half-Hour Specials |
| FACE THE FAMILY (Lifetime) | Executive Producer 2005, 6 Half-Hour Episodes |
| THE 100 MOST UNEXPECTED TV MOMENTS (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2005, 5 One-Hour Primetime Specials |
| LET BOB DO IT (Nick at Nite) | Executive Producer 2004-2006 Two One-Hour Pilots, In partnership w/ Jason Alexander, AngelArk |
| WILL & GRACE: BACKSTAGE PASS (Lifetime) | Executive Producer/Writer 2005, One-Hour Network Special |
| THE ONE BEFORE THE LAST ONE: 10 YEARS OF “FRIENDS” (NBC) | Co-Executive Producer 2004, One-Hour Primetime Network Special, Emmy Nom. |
| FRASIER ANALYZING THE LAUGHTER (NBC) | Co-Executive Producer/Writer 2004, One-Hour Primetime Network Special |
| YOU CAN’T LICK YOUR ELBOW (Nat Geo) | Writer 2014, 2 One-Hour Episodes |
| INTERVENTION HOUSE (Disc) | Executive Producer 2004, One-Hour Special, Prism Award Nomination |
| FAMILY CARNIVAL (Disc) | Executive Producer 2004, One-Hour Special |
| AMERICA’S STRANGEST FAMILIES (CBS) | Executive Producer 2003, One-Hour Pilot |
| LITTLE PEOPLE BIG DREAMS (Disc) | Executive Producer 2004, One-Hour Special |
| THE 100 MOST MEMORABLE TV MOMENTS (TV Land) | Executive Producer 2004, 5 One-Hour Primetime Specials |
| A NOSH TO REMEMBER: THE NANNY REUNION (Lifetime) | Executive Producer/Writer 2004, One-Hour Primetime Special |
| TNN’S FAME FOR 15 (TNN) | Co-Executive Producer 2001-2002, Weekly Half-Hour Series, 26 Episodes |
| NAKED (Bravo) | Executive Producer/Writer 2004, One-Hour Pilot |
| TV’S MOST MEMORABLE WEDDINGS (NBC) | Co-Executive Producer/Writer 2002, One-Hour Primetime Network Special |
| CHILD STARS: THEN & NOW (NBC) | Co-Executive Producer/Writer 2002, One-Hour Primetime Network Special |
| 20 YEARS OF MUST SEE TV (NBC) | Co-Executive Producer/Writer 2002, 90-Minute Primetime Network Special |
| INTIMATE PORTRAIT (Lifetime) | Producer/Writer, Spring 1996 “Kathie Lee Gifford” |
| INSIDE TV LAND (TV Land) | Co-Executive Producer 1999-2003, Series of One-Hour Specials |
| FUTURE QUEST (PBS) | Series Supervising Producer 22 eps. 1994, Emmy Award for Main Title Sequence |
| BIOGRAPHY (A&E) | Producer/Writer, Spring 1996, Episode: “Richard Pryor: Comic on the Edge” |
| TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS (ABC) | Creative Consultant/Writer 2000, Two Primetime Network Specials |
| TOTALLY HIDDEN VIDEO (FOX) | Supervising Producer/Head Writer/Performer, Weekly Hidden Camera Series 24 episodes, 91-92 |
| PAYBACK (FOX) | Supervising Producer/Head Writer/Performer, Network Hidden Camera special, 1992 |
| FAMILY VALUES (FOX) | Creator/Producer/Writer/Host, Pilot, 8/92, Hidden Camera Game show, Over 200 Episodes produced in Italy (94-95) |
| SEX WITH CINDY CRAWFORD (ABC) | Creative Consultant/Writer, Network Prime Time Special 1998 |
| HAYWIRE (FOX) | Associate Producer/Writer/Field Host 6 segments |
| LEGENDS OF HOLLYWOOD (The Learning Channel) | Supervising Producer, 26 episodes, 3/93 — 12/93, Hosted by Robert Wagner, Domestic Premiere ’95 |
| THE SINGLE GUY (NBC) | Writer, “Poetry” episode Fall ’95 |
| COMIC STRIP LIVE (FOX) | Creative Consultant/Head Writer/Performer, 13 episodes, 2/90 — 6/90 |
| JOHNNY B. ON THE LOOSE (NBC) | Writer, Network special, Burbank Studios 1990, Produced by NBC Productions & Fred Silverman |
| MYSTERIOUS FORCES BEYOND (The Learning Channel) | Supervising Producer, 26 episodes ’94-’95, Broadcast in Canada (WIC), Spain (RTE) & others |
| AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (FOX) | Producer/Writer, “Consequences: Phillip Nutte” ’92 |
| COUNTDOWN TO COMIC RELIEF (Comedy Central) | Co-Producer/Wrap-Around Director, Hosted by Jon Stewart Oct. 1995 |
| SIMPLY STYLE (Learning Channel) | Series Supervising Producer, 60 episodes 1995 |
| IT’S JONATHON BRANDMEIER FROM CHICAGO (NBC) | Head Writer/Segment Producer, Network special, 1989-90 |
| BIG CITY BROADCAST (CBS-HBO) | Associate Producer/Writer/Performer, Pilot, 1990 |
| HOLLYWOOD FX MASTERS (The Discovery Channel) | Supervising Producer/Head Writer, 13 episodes, 1992 Sold International Beta-Taurus |
| HOME GREEN HOME (PBS) | Series Supervising Producer 10 episodes 1995 |
| LAURIE COOKS LIGHT & EASY (The Learning Channel) | Supervising Producer, 65 episodes, 1/93 — 5/93, Broadcast 1993-1995 |
| OVERNIGHT GUEST (WMAQ-NBC) | Creator/Writer/Co-Producer/Host 4 pilot episodes, ’86 |
| DEER SEASON (WMAQ-NBC) | Theatrical Director, WMAQ Playwrights Festival Chicago Area Emmy Award, Live Broadcast, 1986 |
| THE PRACTICAL THEATRE CO. MEETS GODZILLA (WTTW-PBS) | Writer/Performer, Chicago Area Emmy Award, “Made in Chicago” series, 1983 |
Theater:
RECENT: “The Vic & Paul Show” A two-person original comedy revue, written & performed by Paul and Victoria Zielinski at PUSH Lounge in Woodland Hills, CA (June 2010). Chicago’s Prop Theatre (June 2011) and Mayne Stage (2011), The 14th Street Theatre in Cleveland (2012) and iO West in Hollywood (2012). “Mr. Olsen’s New Year’s Rockin’ Neighborhood” an original comedy revue, 27 Live in Evanston, IL (2013). “The Vic & Paul & Dana Show” an original comedy revue, staged at iO West in Hollywood (2015). In December 2017, wrote, produced and performed in “Mr. Olsen’s Champagne Celebration” at Studio5 in Evanston. Holiday shows at Studio5 2018 & 19 & 20.
THE PRACTICAL THEATRE CO. Artistic Director (1979-2020) Built The John Lennon Auditorium in Evanston, IL (’80) and Piper’s Alley Theatre in Chicago, in partnership with Bernie Sahlins & Second City. (’82) Produced over 20 new plays and 15 improv comedy revues, including: “Babalooney” Off-Broadway (’84) and “Art, Ruth & Trudy” (‘86-87), PTC’s longest-running show.
Rock & Roll: RIFFMASTER & THE ROCKME FOUNDATION Lead singer-songwriter-guitar (1981-Current) THE REMNANTS Lead singer-songwriter-guitar (2010-2013)
Mee-Ow Show: Northwestern University. Cast member/SketchWriter: “In Search of the Ungnome” (1978), “But is it Art?” (‘79), and “Ten Against the Empire” (‘80)