From Brooklyn Sketches to Hollywood Backlots
David Yarnell, a behind-the-scenes TV and radio mover-and-shaker whose career zigzagged from Brooklyn law school to Cooper Union art classes and then straight into broadcasting, has died at 96. He passed away at his Los Angeles home with his wife, agent Toni Howard, by his side.
Early Days: Buckley, Frost and a Young Cassius
Yarnell cut his teeth in radio and quickly made waves. He helped launch a weekly show with William F. Buckley and later teamed up with David Frost. He even produced some of the early Muhammad Ali fight broadcasts — back when Cassius Clay was still the name in the ring. Yarnell loved to tell a cheeky story about asking Ali for “seven rounds” to fit in the commercials — Ali obliged with a wink and did in fact finish the fight in that seventh round.
He Could Do High Culture and Headbanging
His résumé reads like a grab bag of good taste and glorious chaos. Yarnell produced Anne Bancroft’s Emmy-winning Deep in My Heart and an American Masters portrait of Billy Wilder, while also creating rock TV specials in the 1970s for acts like the Rolling Stones, Queen and Black Sabbath. He moved through executive stints at Metromedia, RKO General and Screen Gems, proving he could navigate boardrooms as well as backstages.
Reality TV, Pranks and Pop Culture Staples
Think candid pranks, oddball variety and early reality sparks: Yarnell produced multiple Candid Camera specials, worked on That’s Incredible for ABC and put together big HBO showcases for talents such as Roseanne Barr and Dolly Parton. He also worked on Love, American Style, the anthology series that would eventually help spawn the Happy Days universe.
Longfuse Passion Project: ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
One of Yarnell’s most tenacious efforts was optioning Lee Israel’s memoir two decades before it became a film. The movie version hit serious snags — a high-profile creative clash that shelved the production days before shooting and reportedly cost the studio a chunk of change — but Yarnell stuck with it. The revived project starred Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant, both of whom earned Oscar nods for their roles.
DY Productions and a Love Letter to Movies
Later in life he founded DY Productions and shifted into documentaries and celebration pieces: think AFI 100 Years specials and Television’s Greatest Performances. He kept championing film history and bringing smart TV ideas to life.
Giving Back and the Final Act
Yarnell and Toni Howard married in 1989 and together created the Toni and David Yarnell Merit Award of Excellence at Cooper Union to support up-and-coming artists and architects. It’s a neat, philanthropic full stop to a career that hopped between commercial risk-taking and genuine cultural stewardship.
Why He’ll Be Remembered
David Yarnell was the sort of producer who liked to mix unlikely elements — intellectual debate, rock ’n’ roll, clever pranks and serious film work — and make it feel like a single evening’s TV. He leaves behind a grab-bag legacy of shows, specials and one stubbornly greenlit film that proved his patience could pay off. He was 96.