Leonard Hill, Producer of ‘The Long Hot Summer,’ Dies at 68

Producer Leonard Hill who was best known for serving as executive producer on “The Long Hot Summer” and the “Mae West” TV biopic has died. He was 68.

Hill was a graduate from both Yale and Stanford. He first began his career as a writer on “Adam-12.” After working at Paramount, Universal TV and MTM, he joined NBC as an executive in the drama series department. He later joined ABC as V.P. of Movies, where he supervised “The Jericho Mile” and “Amber Waves.”

Throughout his career he produced over 45 television movies, including “Freedom”starring Mare Winningham; “Having It All,” “Frank Nitti: The Enforcer” and “Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story.” He worked on dramatic series including “Tucker’s Witch” and the two-part miniseries on “Jack the Ripper” (CBS, 1988).

Hill partnered on many projects with both Phil Mandelker and Joel Fields. Aside from Leonard Hill Films, he was also the founder of independent television distribution company Allied Communication. After selling it to Pearson in 1994, Hill formed real estate development company Linear City with Yuval Bar-Zemer.

Earlier this year, Hill partnered with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to create the Leonard Hill arts plaza. Hill served on the board of the California Film Commission, the Los Angeles Conservancy, Common Cause, and the Caucus of Producers, Writers and Directors. He also created The Leonard Hill Foundation to help underprivileged citizens of Los Angeles.

Hill is survived by his wife and three step-children.

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