Unscripted TV Exec Kevin Fortson To Retire After 30 Years With Warner Bros.

Kevin Fortson, the Executive Vice President of Production & Administration for Warner Bros . Unscripted Television, will retire this summer after three decades with the studio.

"For the past 30 years, Kevin has been an indelible part of Warner Bros," said Mike Darnell , President, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television. "His name has literally become synonymous with the company and the lot itself. Personally, I will miss him for his counsel, his friendship and his endless string of dad jokes. He truly is one in a million … although he would probably try to cut that budget down! He is as important to the studio as any movie or television show ever produced here, and if I had the power to do it, there would be a stage with his name on it, right next to Friends and The Big Bang Theory. He is known as the unofficial Mayor of the lot, and his constituents will miss him dearly… and no one will ever be re-elected to that position."

Fortson has been leading all aspects of physical production for the studio's unscripted series slate across Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Shed Media and Telepictures, including The Bachelor franchise, The Voice , The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip and Friends: The Reunion and Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts , among others.

In 2006, he was one of the four founding senior executives of Warner Horizon, and as head of production, he oversaw all aspects of finance and production for scripted and unscripted series, including Pretty Little Liars, Queen Sugar, Animal Kingdom, Fuller House and The Flight Attendant.

Fortson also served as Senior Vice President of Studio Operations for Warner Bros. Studio Facilities, where he was charged with directing the operational activities for all in-house and independent television and feature film production on the lot and the adjacent ranch facility.

Prior to that, Fortson spent 12 years at Telepictures as Senior Vice President, Production and Administration, where he oversaw day-to-day production staffs for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show and Extra , among others.

During his tenure, Fortson supervised the design and construction of the company's Glendale production and post-production facility. The 45,000 square foot complex features two soundstages, 30 digital editing suites, a newsroom and production office space. This facility served as the headquarters for first 25 seasons of Extra and housed numerous other productions during its years of operation.

Prior to his career within the Warner Bros. family, Fortson was with Investigative News Group, where he served as Vice President/Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer and executive in charge of production overseeing Geraldo, The Geraldo Rivera Specials and Now It Can Be Told . He also held positions at Genesis Entertainment, overseeing The Whoopi Goldberg Show , among other programs, as well as Metromedia, Fox and Group W Productions, where he supervised various productions and held the position of Executive In Charge of Production on Hour Magazine.