Television Pioneer Herman Rush Dies at 94

Rush, known for his role in transforming British sitcom 'Till Death To Us Part' into 'All in the Family', had a significant impact on the television industry.

• Herman Rush, a prominent television pioneer and former president of Columbia Pictures Television, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Dec. 12. He was 94.
• Rush got his start in the television industry in 1951 as a salesman at Official Films. In 1957, he acquired television syndication firm Flamingo Films, which he turned into a major independent syndication company.
• In the late 1960s, Rush acquired the popular British sitcom “Till Death To Us Part” from Lord Lew Grade. He sold the intellectual property to the late television titan Norman Lear, who turned that show into “All in the Family.”
• At Columbia, Rush oversaw the production of more than one hundred hours of movies and mini-series for television. He put more than a dozen series on air, including “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” “Mike Hammer” and “Designing Women.”
• Rush was recognized by industry groups including the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters and The Caucus for Writers, Producers and Directors.

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