Norman S. Powell

Norman S. Powell was an American producer, director and network executive.

Powell earned Emmy nominations for producing season 2 of 24, and Washington: Behind Closed Doors, a TV miniseries focusing on the Nixon administration.

Born in Hollywood, Powell was the son of Oscar-nominated cinematographer George Barnes and actress Joan Blondell. He began his career in the 1950s as a production manager on TV Westerns including Wanted: Dead or Alive, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman.

During his six decades in Hollywood, Powell also spent 13 years as a CBS Television executive, eventually becoming Senior Vice President of CBS Entertainment Productions. During his time at the network, he supervised the development and production of 11 series, and more than 80 made-for-TV movies.

Apart from his work as a producer and an executive, Powell was also a director. He directed and executive produced American Valor, a documentary about heroes who have received the Medal of Honor, as well as directing episodes of The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Big Valley, The Lazarus Man, The Bob Crane Show, and others.

At the time of his passing, Powell was working on a sequel to Brothers at War, his Iraq War-set documentary, as well as a soon-to-be published memoir.

Powell died June 16, 2021. He was 86.