Bruce Ryan (production designer)

Bruce Ryan (born 1953) is an Emmy Award-nominated American production designer and art director. He has worked on more than 800 different television and motion picture productions.

Career

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Ryan's early career included working on the series Fridays, ABC's version of Saturday Night Live. After 57 live productions, he designed American Bandstand's 40th Anniversary Special[1] for which he received his first Emmy nomination. Ten years later he designed the dance show, Soul Train.[2] This was followed sitcoms such as It's Garry Shandling's Show,[3] Will & Grace[4][failed verification] and All of Us; music specials for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin and Cher;[5] and award shows such as the Emmys,[6] the MTV Video Music Awards, the Billboard Awards, the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards awards, the Soul Train Music Awards, Hollywood Squares,[7] Candid Camera's 50th Anniversary[8] and the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Ryan designed several arena-sized stand-up comedy events, Larry the Cable Guy at University of Nebraska[1] for an audience of 100,000, Kevin Hart at Lincoln Stadium[9] for 53,000 and Gabriel Iglesias at Dodger Stadium for 46,000. Ryan has collaborated with leading stand-ups multiple times including Patton Oswalt,[10] Ellen DeGeneres,[10] Chris Rock,[10][11] Drew Carey,[12] George Carlin,[13] Dave Chappelle,[14] Bill Maher, as well as arena standups Jeff Dunham,[15][16] Gabriel Iglesias,[17] Kevin Hart,[18][19] and Cedric the Entertainer.[20] Ryan also designed Jon Lovitz's Comedy Club at Universal CityWalk.[21]

Awards

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Ryan has been nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys,[20] 1 Daytime Emmy,[22] 5 Art Directors Guild Awards,[23][24][25][26] and won 3 out of 4 CableACE Award nominations. Ryan's Broadway show Def Poetry Jam[27] won the Tony Award for Best Theatrical Event of 2003.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bruce Ryan". TV Guide.
  2. ^ "The 1998 Soul Train Christmas Starfest". tcm.com.
  3. ^ O'Connor, John J. (June 8, 1990). "TV Weekend; End of the Run for Garry Shandling". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Bruce Ryan". BFI.
  5. ^ "Nominations Search | Emmy Awards". Television Academy.
  6. ^ Archerd, Army (August 22, 1995). "Classy Emmys will plug TV's pluses".
  7. ^ Olson, Eric J. (July 9, 1998). "'Squares' lines up prod'n team".
  8. ^ Gerard, Jeremy (August 26, 1996). "Candid Camera's 50th Anniversary".
  9. ^ T. H. R. Staff (October 12, 2016). "'Kevin Hart: What Now?': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ a b c "Bruce Ryan". MUBI.
  11. ^ Gallo, Phil (June 5, 1996). "Hbo Comedy Hour Chris Rock Bring the Pain".
  12. ^ Richmond, Ray (June 27, 1997). "Hbo Comedy Hour: The Mr. Vegas All-Night Party Starring Drew Carey".
  13. ^ Pandya, Hershal (June 2, 2022). "The Director Who Captured George Carlin's Most Prophetic Era". Vulture.
  14. ^ "Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Softly (2000)". letterboxd.com.
  15. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2010/01/21/jeff-dunham-verizon-center/
  16. ^ "Jeff Dunham and His Identity Crisis Tour= Comes to Joe Louis Arena 12/26".
  17. ^ T. H. R. Staff (July 25, 2014). "'The Fluffy Movie': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. ^ T. H. R. Staff (July 3, 2013). "Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  19. ^ "Bruce Ryan". tcm.com.
  20. ^ a b "Bruce Ryan". Television Academy.
  21. ^ Graser, Marc (April 3, 2009). "Jon Lovitz cues comedy club".
  22. ^ "Bruce Ryan awards".
  23. ^ "Art directors dress up their film, TV noms". The Hollywood Reporter. January 19, 2007.
  24. ^ McNary, Dave (January 18, 2007). "Art Directors pick 15 films".
  25. ^ McNary, Dave (January 18, 2006). "Pic palette for art directors' kudos".
  26. ^ "ADG Awards Winner & Nominees".
  27. ^ Harvey, Dennis (July 12, 2002). "Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam".
  28. ^ "Spread the Word: Tony Award-Winning Def Poetry Jam Launches Tour in Philadelphia, Oct. 16". Playbill.