Awards & Winners

Jac Venza

Jac Venza is a public television producer who is directly responsible for most of the theatre and music programs that have been seen on PBS since its creation in 1970. From the early 1960s until his retirement in 2005, Venza brought such programs as NET Playhouse, Live from Lincoln Center, American Playhouse, American Masters, and Great Performances to millions of viewers. He began his career on CBS in the 1950s, where he began to notice the scarcity of programming devoted to the fine arts on television. It was his dream to bring more of it to the home screen on a regular basis, but he did not receive a full opportunity to do so until the creation of National Educational Television, where it soon became possible, thanks largely to Venza, to see great dramatic literature regularly performed by some of the world's most renowned actors. A then-unknown Dustin Hoffman made his first major television appearance in a play - Ronald Ribman's The Journey of the Fifth Horse - on NET in 1966. NET Playhouse was perhaps the first television anthology to present commercial-free, full-length productions of theatrical classics such as Arthur Miller's adaptation of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. When NET became PBS, Venza quickly launched Great Performances, which is still running today.

Awards by Jac Venza

Check all the awards nominated and won by Jac Venza.

2005


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-fiction Series
Honored for : Broadway The American Musical

Nominations 2005 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Programs Great Performances
Leonard Bernstein's Candide in Concert
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Non-fiction Series Broadway The American Musical

2004


Nominations 2004 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Programs Great Performances
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Inaugurates Walt Disney Concert Hall

2002


Nominations 2002 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Joshua Bell: West Side Story Suite From Central Park

2001


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program
Honored for : Great Performances

Nominations 2001 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
La Traviata

2000


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program
Honored for : Great Performances: Dance in America
(American Ballet Theatre)

Nominations 2000 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances: Dance in America
American Ballet Theatre
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Andrea Bocelli: Sacred Arias
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Central Park
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special Great Performances

1999


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program
Honored for : Itzhak Perlman: Fiddling for the Future

Nominations 1999 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Itzhak Perlman: Fiddling for the Future
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
A Streetcar Named Desire: From the San Francisco Opera
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Dance in America: A Hymn for Alvin Ailey

1998


Peabody Award
(a Personal Award)

Nominations 1998 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program Great Performances: Dance in America
Variety and Virtuosity: American Ballet Theatre Now

1997


International Emmy Award for Founders
(Director of Cultural & Arts Programs, WNET, New York)

1996


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Music-Dance Program
Honored for : Great Performances
(Itzhak Perlman: In the Fiddler's House)

Nominations 1996 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Itzhak Perlman: In the Fiddler's House
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Music-Dance Program Great Performances
Peter, Paul and Mary: Lifelines

1994


Nominations 1994 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Program Great Performances
Carnegie Hall Salutes The Jazz Masters
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Program Great Performances: Dance in America
Balanchine Celebration
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Program Great Performances
Porgy & Bess

1993


Nominations 1993 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Great Performances
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (#21.3)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances
Dance In America: The Hard Nut

1992


Nominations 1992 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Great Performances
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Program (special)","Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole

1990


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special
Honored for : American Masters
(Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of Group Theater)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special
Honored for : Great Performances
(Dance in America: Bob Fosse Steam Heat)

Nominations 1990 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances
Show Boat (#18.4)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances
Dance in America: Bob Fosse Steam Heat
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special American Masters
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of Group Theater

1989


Nominations 1989 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
A Night at the Joffrey
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Baryshnikov Dances Balanchine
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program Great Performances: Dance in America
Gregory Hines Tap Dance in America

1988


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts
Honored for : Great Performances
(Nixon in China)

Nominations 1988 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances
Nixon in China
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Balanchine and Cunningham
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances
Bacall on Bogart

1987


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special
Honored for : Great Performances: Dance in America
(Agnes, the Indomitable DeMille)

Nominations 1987 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
In Memory of...A Ballet by Jerome Robbins
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances: Dance in America
Agnes, the Indomitable DeMille

1986


Nominations 1986 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Choreography by Jerome Robbins with the New York City Ballet
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Dance Theatre of Harlem in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

1985


Nominations 1985 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances
Judy Garland: The Concert Years

1984


Nominations 1984 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Special Great Performances: Dance in America
Dance in America: Balanchine

1983


Nominations 1983 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America

1982


Nominations 1982 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries Brideshead Revisited
Outstanding Limited Series

1981


Nominations 1981 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Nureyev and the Joffrey Ballet/In Tribute to Nijinsky
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries Great Performances
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

1980


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement - Special Class
Honored for : Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance

Nominations 1980 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement - Special Class Fred Astaire: Puttin' on his Top Hat
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement - Special Class Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance

1979


Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts
Honored for : Great Performances: Dance in America
(Balanchine IV)

Nominations 1979 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Balanchine III
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Balanchine IV

1978


Nominations 1978 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Dance in America: Choreography by Balanchine

1977


Nominations 1977 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries The Adams Chronicles
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
Martha Graham Dance Company
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction or Scenic Design - Comedy-Variety or Music Special Great Performances: Dance in America
Billy The Kid
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances
Arthur Rubinstein at 90
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Program - Performing Arts Great Performances: Dance in America
American Ballet Theatre Dance in America

1976


Nominations 1976 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Classical Music Program Great Performances: Dance in America
City Center Joffrey Ballet
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries The Adams Chronicles
Outstanding Limited Series

1971


Nominations 1971 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series NET Playhouse

1970


Nominations 1970 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series NET Playhouse

1968


Nominations 1968 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Or Musical Program Lincoln Center/Stage 5

1966


Nominations 1966 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Achievements In Educational Television Festival of Arts
Dance Theatre of José Limon

1961


Nominations 1961 »

Award Nominated Nominated Work
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design Twenty-Four Hours in a Woman's Life