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News,  Obituaries

Friday, October 19, 2012

Frank D. Jacoby, 87, Noted Filmmaker

UPDATE Frank D. Jacoby, a longtime resident of Westport and Weston who with his wife Doris produced award-winning documentaries, corporate films and TV commercials, died Oct. 18 at hjis Weston home. He was 87.

In July, Doris and Frank Jacoby shared some of their memories with a Westport audience. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

The Jacobys were announced as recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented Sunday by the Westport Arts Advisory Committee at a 2 p.m. ceremony at Westport Town Hall. In 2007, they were honored by the Friends of the Westport Public Library for their service to the community.

A veteran of the “Golden Age” of television, Frank Jacoby helped to put Channel 13 – WATV - on the air in 1948 and was soon hired by NBC as a network director with programs as diverse as “The Hit Parade,” “Lights Out” and “The Show of Shows” to his credit.

From NBC, he went to the United Nations, filming in 61 countries for Alistair Cooke’s “International Zone” and directing a weekly program with Adlai Stevenson.

In 1965, he founded Jacoby/Storm Productions in Westport which still produces films for IBM, Xerox and other major corporations. He has received both the Sherwood and the Peabody Awards for distinguished television programs.

Last July, the Jacobys shared some of their memories at The Saugatuck, the senior housing facility in Westport.

There were stories of Eleanor Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, crooner Rudy Vallee, and Adlai Stevenson, the former governor of Illinois who received the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 1952 and 1956 and both times was defeated by Eisenhower.

As Frank Jacoby was telling a story, he momentarily broke down as he started to describe hearing about the sudden death of Stevenson, who died of a heart attack while on a walk in London in 1965.

Jacoby is survived by his wife and three sons, Douglas of Easton; Bruce of Newtown, and Jeff of San Francisco; a brother, Ron, of Cape Cod, Mass., and four grandchildren.

No services are planned.

Comments:     Comment Policy

Frank and Doris - 2 of the happiest, most positive, and enduring people I have ever met.  You still are, that will never change. Suzanne and I send our loving thoughts to you, Doris.  Rozanne Gates

I am deeply saddened to learn of Frank’s death.He was a delightful, charming man. I will sorely miss those chance encounters on Main Street or in a restaurant when I had the pleasure of his company for a few minutes. Those moments were always cheerful and interesting. My heart goes out to Doris and his entire family.
Ken Bernhard

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