Biography
As President of ABC Entertainment, she reported to division Chairman Ted Harbert, who held her job before being promoted. This personal triumph followed an exceedingly eventful year at NBC Entertainment where she had spent the better part of a decade climbing swiftly up the corporate ladder. The daughter of celebrated sitcom producer, writer and director Jay Tarses ("The Bob Newhart Show", "Buffalo Bill", "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd"), …
Career Milestones
| Oversaw the development of new series such as "Frasier", "Friends" and "NewsRadio" and supervised existing shows | ||
| Participated in the development of all new comedy series for midseason 1989 and the following 1989-90 season including "Wings", "Blossom" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" | ||
| Raised in Los Angeles | ||
| Served as NBC's program executive for such comedy series as "Cheers", "Amen", "A Different World" and "227" | ||
| Worked as a casting director for Lorimar Productions | ||
1986 | After college, became Assistant to the Talent Executive on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" | |
1987 | Joined NBC when hired by Brandon Tartikoff as manager, creative affairs, NBC Productions in September | |
1987 | Moved to NBC Entertainment as manager, current comedy programs in December | |
1988 | Named manager, comedy development, NBC Entertainment in July | |
1989 | Appointed as director, comedy development, NBC Entertainment in February | |
1991 | Recommended that NBC not pick up her father's sitcom pilot "Baltimore" about jazz musicians | |
1992 | Appointed as vice president | |
1994 | Named senior vice president, primetime series, NBC Entertainment in August; reported directly to Warren Littlefield, president, NBC Entertainment | |
1996 | Allegedly asked to be released from her two-year contract with NBC citing sexual harassment by her NBC superior, West Coast President, Don Ohlemeyer; refused to comment on rumor due to confidentiality agreement with NBC; NBC execs and other sources denied story | |
1996 | Moved to ABC in June as President, ABC Entertainment becoming both the youngest person and the first woman to hold such a position; reported to Ted Harbert, chairman, ABC Entertainment until Harbert's resignation in February 1997 | |
1996 | NBC announced in February that Tarses (then McDermott) would be on hiatus until June while she considered a job offer from ABC | |
1996 | Reportedly approached by Walt Disney Company president Michael Ovitz in February to succeed Ted Harbert as president of NBC Entertainment | |
1999 | Resigned from ABC in August | |