Search form

ABC Family Exec Mancuso Dies At 44

TV Industry vet Linda Mancuso, svp, head of programming, ABC Family Channel, died Dec. 7, 2003 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles after a seven-year battle with cancer at the age of 44.

Linda made so many contributions to our industry. Her love of the creative process, talent and her team, were inspiring to everyone who came in contact with her, said Anne Sweeney, president, ABC Cable Networks Group and Disney Channel Worldwide. We will remember her warmth, humor and generosity of spirit forever.

Mancuso joined ABC Family after spending more than 20 years at NBC where she became coo at Peter Engel Productions/NBC Enterprises. In that role, she oversaw primetime series production including more than 500 half-hours of teen comedies for the NBC network, cable and syndication. In addition to series development and production oversight, Mancuso served as president of Beyond Talent Management.

She served for four years as vp of primetime series at NBC, where she was part of the development team and exec on the first two seasons of ER. Mancuso played an integral role in NBC childrens and family programming for seven years as director and then vp as the network transitioned from animated to live-action programming. The hit teen series, SAVED BY THE BELL, was launched under her stewardship.

A native of Winnetka, Illinois, Mancuso started as an unpaid intern at NBCs Chicago affiliate station, produced local shows at that station for five years, before moving out to the networks headquarters in Burbank, California.

During her short tenure at ABC Family, Mancuso developed SWITCHED! and KNOCK FIRST.

Mancuso is survived by her sister Laura, brothers Rob and Rick and nieces and nephews Adam, Cassie, Nick and Rock. A memorial mass will be held Dec. 13 in Chicago and a memorial service in Los Angeles on Jan. 14. The family asks that donations be sent to The Linda Mancuso Memorial Fund at Good Samaritan Hospital at 1225 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, 90017.

Tags