ABC Signature veteran Tracy Underwood has been elevated to president of the Disney Television Studios division. Underwood, most recently EVP of creative affairs for ABC Signature, is taking over the top post vacated by Jonnie Davis in July.
Jonnie Davis is leaving ABC Signature. Davis has been President of the Disney-owned studio since 2019. He said it has been a “privilege” to work on shows such as ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, FX’s Fleishman Is In Trouble and Hulu’s This Fool. The move, however, is not a precursor to merging ABC Signature and 20th Television and, despite a multitude of rumors, they will continue to operate as two separate division. The company is currently searching for a replacement for Davis.
One of the longest-tenured ABC/ABC Signature executives, Stephanie Leifer, is leaving her post as EVP current programming for ABC Signature after combined 28 years at the studio and ABC. Leifer has served as head of current programming at ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, and predecessor ABC Studios since 2010, overseeing all current series.
Melanie Frankel is leaving ABC Signature where she served as head of comedy for the past two years. According to sources, Frankel opted to depart before the end of her contract. She has not yet decided what she will do next. Meanwhile, ABC Signature, part of Disney Television Studios, is searching for a new head of comedy, with Frankel staying on as a consultant until a replacement is found.
Exclusives
Nearly a year and a half after acquiring 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 TV Studios, Disney is changing the former to simply 20th Television, while the latter will become Touchstone Television. Additionally, ABC Studios and its subsidiary ABC Signature Studios are folding into one unit that will now be called ABC Signature. The full integration of the Disney Television Studios rebranding is effective immediately, with new logos and motion end cards that viewers will see on screen expected to be completed by year’s end. No executive changes or layoffs are expected as part of the changes.
