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Jonathan Axelrod, a studio and network executive and television producer and writer, died June 13 in Los Angeles. His ex-wife, television director Katy Garretson, reported his death. He was 74.

Born in New York City, Axelrod moved to Beverly Hills when he was nine, and his father George Axelrod was nominated for an Oscar for penning the screenplay for 1961’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

He partnered with director John Frankenheimer, who he met as a teenager on the set of his father’s film “The Manchurian Candidate,” to produce TV movies like “Against the Wall.” In the later years of his career, Axelrod produced over two dozen movies for the Hallmark Channel.

His other producing credits include the series “Can’t Hurry Love,” “Brothers Keeper” and “Garage Sale Mysteries.”

Axelrod founded and served as president of talent agency Camden Artists, and later was president of New World Pictures and Columbia Pictures Television. He also...

Jonathan Axelrod, prolific studio and network executive, television producer and writer, and son-in-law of the late George Axelrod, died in his sleep on June 13 in Los Angeles. His death was confirmed to Deadline by his ex-wife, television director/producer Katy Garretson. He was 74.

Axelrod had a long and varied career in film and television. Early on, he founded and was President of the talent agency Camden Artists. He was President of New World Pictures and Columbia Pictures Television.

He was the producing half of Axelrod/Widdoes Entertainment, with actor-director Jamie Widdoes, as well as Axelrod/Edwards with writer-executive Kelly Edwards. He was both SVP of Prime-Time Development and Vice-President of Drama at ABC. He partnered with director John Frankenheimer to produce TV movies like Against the Wall… after meeting Frankenheimer as a...

Adjuncts at the University of Southern California’s prominent School of Cinematic Arts have officially voted to unionize in a National Labor Relations Board ballot count on Friday.

Two hundred and six workers voted to join the United Auto Workers union in the count, while 13 workers voted against unionizing. Out of around 281 eligible voters, 219 cast valid ballots, and there were 8 void ballots and 4 challenged ballots. The group includes instructors in departments spanning from production to screenwriting to interactive media and games, among others. The parties will have a week to file any objections, and if there are none, the results will be certified.

The unionizing group is calling itself the Adjunct Faculty Alliance. Said the Afa in a statement, “After a year of historic strikes in Hollywood and across the nation, we are thrilled to take that momentum to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and collectively do the right thing.

Adjunct instructors at the USC School of Cinematic Arts are seeking to form a union, citing concerns about low pay and a recent move to drop health coverage.

Organizers say that 75% of the 248 adjunct faculty members have signed on to the drive to join the Uaw. They are seeking voluntary recognition from the university.

The cinema school relies heavily on adjunct professors, who are typically working Hollywood professionals. According to the organizers, more than 70% of the instructors are adjuncts, compared to just 20% in the 1970s.

Adjuncts who teach two classes make around $22,000 a year. Many teach courses there because they are also eligible for health insurance. But the organizers say that the university has recently started cutting second classes, so that instructors no longer qualify.

The faculty are seeking increased pay and a path to full-time and tenured positions.

“One student pays more money to take my class than I am paid to teach it,...

“I love the school. I bleed cardinal and gold,” says Katy Garretson. The Punky Brewster, Frasier and Fuller House director, who holds two degrees from the University of Southern California, has gotten football season tickets since she was 18 years old and even hosted a Trojan marching band at her wedding.

Still, after she came to USC five years ago to teach at its prestigious School of Cinematic Arts as an adjunct professor, “to say that I was shocked would be an understatement, at the working conditions that the adjuncts are working under.” She was initially struck by the fact that there were only two full-time female professors in the directing program and that adjunct instructors do not get designated parking on campus free of charge (options include paying a $20 flat rate for USC parking or finding street parking, which can be difficult around the school). But other issues surfaced: The pay was low — one year,...

The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2011, and the recipients of the Guild's 2012 Career Achievement Awards were announced tonight during the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles. Michel Hazanavicius won the DGA's Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Artist.

Following the welcome by DGA President Taylor Hackford to an audience of more than 1,600 guests, director/producer/actor Kelsey Grammer hosted the ceremony.

Presenters included (in alphabetical order): DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted; B&#233r&#233nice Bejo (The Artist); George Clooney (The Descendants); Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad); Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men); Laura Dern (Enlightened); Jean Dujardin (The Artist); DGA President Taylor Hackford; 2010 DGA Feature Film Award winner Tom Hooper (The King's Speech); Stana Katic (Castle); Ben Kingsley (Hugo); Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy); Kathleen Robertson (Boss); Octavia Spencer (The Help...

Hollywood Gives Back: The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2011 were announced tonight during the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles. Michel Hazanavicius won the DGA?s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for The Artist.

Following the welcome by DGA President Taylor Hackford to an audience of more than 1,600 guests, director/producer/actor Kelsey Grammer hosted the ceremony.

Presenters included (in alphabetical order): DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted; Kathy Bates (Midnight in Paris); Berenice Bejo (The Artist); George Clooney (The Descendants); Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad); Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men); Laura Dern (Enlightened); Jean Dujardin (The Artist); DGA President Taylor Hackford; 2010 DGA Feature Film Award winner Tom Hooper (The King?s Speech); Stana Katic (Castle); Ben Kingsley (Hugo); Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy); Kathleen Robertson (Boss); Octavia Spencer...

Michel Hazanavicius was the big winner at the 64th annual Directors Guild of America Awards. The director of the fantastic black-and-white silent film "The Artist" took home the award for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film category. Jon Cassar of "The Kennedys" received the 2012 DGA Award for the category of Movies for Television and Mini-Series.

Hosted by Kelsey Grammer, the DGA also honored Ed Sherin with the 2012 Honorary Life Member Award, Katy Garretson with the 2012 Frank Capra Achievement Award, and Dennis Mazzocco with the 2012 Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award.

It is now safe to bet that Hazanavicius will win the Best Director Award Oscar!

Here's the complete list of winners and nominees of the 2012 Directors Guild of America Awards (to check winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, visit our Awards Avenue coverage right here)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In Feature Film

*Winner Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

David Fincher,...

Three longtime members of the Directors Guild of America will be honored for their service to the guild and career achievements at the 64th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Jan. 28, it was announced Wednesday. Emmy-winning television director Ed Sherin ("Law & Order"), and television directors Katy Garretson and Dennis Mazzocco will receive related awards. Sherin, who served as DGA National vice president from 1997 to 2004, will receive the 2012 Honorary Life Member Award. The honor -- which most recently went to Bob Iger,...