John Furia Jr. RIP
screen and prolific television writer and former president of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) John Furia Jr. has died. And WGAW President Patrick Verrone lauded “the character of John and dignity and influenced generations of writers headdresses of the founders of the very Brotherhood of the newest student members. He was 79. Tonight, the WGA put out this statement: “He is remembered not only as a colleague and mentor to his fellow writers, but also as a staunch defender of their rights.” For those of us who relied on their knowledge and attorney, John was more than an eminence grise, was pure eminence.
Besides being president WGAW from 1973-1975, was president of the National Writers Guilds East and West, past president and board member of the Writers Guild Foundation and vice president of the Humanitas Prize Foundation. Fury participation in the entertainment industry extended far beyond his work as writer and producer of major studios and networks. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Board of the National Captioning Institute
He was a recipient of three of WGAW of Honor Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Guild. In 1978, received the Morgan Cox Award for service to the Brotherhood in 1990 was given the Cross of St. Valentine Award for contributions to the entertainment industry and the community, in general, and in 1994 was honored with the hemisphere Edmund North Award, presented to members whose courageous leadership, strength of will and selfless ongoing activity for the Association through the years, and professional achievements at the highest level, have served to establish the Writers Guild of United States as a pillar of strength and security for writers around the world.
Anger was also founding president of the University of Southern California School of Film and Television Writing Division and remained in the program as a full professor teaching writing for film and television