Donald Bellisario Biography

Donald P. Bellisario was born August 8th, 1936 in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and graduated from Penn State University with a B.A. degree in journalism. He became a prolific writer in college, and has gained notoriety as a creator/producer of numerous ground breaking television series, such as “Airwolf”, “Magnum PI”, “Tales of the Gold Monkey”, “Battlestar Galactica”, “Quantum Leap” and JAG”. In 1965, Bellisario became a copywriter for a small advertising agency in Lancaster, PA, and three years later he moved to Dallas to become a Copy Group Head of the nationally known Bloom Agency. By 1976, after eight years at Bloom, Bellisario was senior vice president, creative director, and a member of the board of directors. He then moved to Hollywood. Bellisario broke into television drama with a script for Stephen J. Cannell’s Black Sheep Squadron (1976-8). Don’s first script to air on the series, “Wolves in the Sheep Pen” on January 4, 1978. This sale led to Don becoming a producer on the series after just five episodes, a position he held for a year. Don Bellisario went on to become a writer-producer for Glen Larson’s “Battlestar Galactica” and its revival, “Galactica” (1980) (ABC). The collaboration between the two producers and Universal led to their next project, “Magnum, P.I.”, which Don Bellisario and Glen Larson co-created in 1980. “Magnum, P.I.” was the biggest hit either Larson or Bellisario had ever had, and the show that established Donald P. Bellisario as a successful creator-producer in his own right. Don was executive producer for most of the 1980-88 CBS series. Bellisario then went on to create NBC’s “Quantum Leap,” “Tales of the Gold Monkey,” “Airwolf,” and “Tequila and Bonetti,” serving as executive producer on all five. In 1995 another one of his creations came to live as the military show “JAG” became a hit on CBS. (The show was originally canceled by NBC after only one season. CBS, picked it up and it became a top hit. BIG mistake NBC!) In 1987, Bellisario made his first feature, “Last Rites,” which he wrote, produced and directed, starring Tom Berenger. In 1991, Bellisario was nominated for Best Script for Episodic Drama by the Writer’s Guild of America for “The Leap Home.” He also won an Edgar Allan Poe writing award for “Magnum, P.I.” Mr. Bellisario is married and lives in South California. He has 7 children. Sons David and Michael, and daughter Julie Watson all work on the series “JAG”. Mr. Bellisario likes to run, play golf, and fly helicopters.