Melanie Frankel Exits As ABC Signature Head Of Comedy – Deadline

Melanie Frankel is leaving ABC Signature the place she served as head of comedy for the previous two years. In keeping with sources, Frankel opted to depart earlier than the top of her contract. She has not but determined what she’s going to do subsequent. In the meantime, ABC Signature, a part of Disney Tv Studios, is looking for a brand new head of comedy, with Frankel staying on as a advisor till a alternative is discovered.

Frankel, then VP Present at ABC Studios, was named head of comedy for the studio (later renamed ABC Signature) in September 2019 within the first main government appointment for Jonnie Davis after he grew to become ABC Studios president. Most of Frankel’s tenure was in the course of the pandemic, which altered the published growth cycle. None of ABC Signature’s 2021 comedy pilots had been picked as much as collection however most had been put in growth and offered earlier than Frankel took the highest comedy job.

There have been a whole lot of government comings and goings these days because the enterprise — and the nation — emerged from the darkest, pre-vaccination days of the pandemic. Frankel is the the third ABC Signature growth government to depart prior to now couple of weeks, becoming a member of Lisa Lang McMullen and Amanda Barclay who went to Netflix.

Most just lately, Frankel and her crew offered the collection This Idiot to Hulu, in addition to the animated presentation Standing By with Dan Levy. Additionally they just lately accomplished the Phoebe Robinson pilot, Every little thing’s Trash, for Freeform.

Throughout Frankel’s tenure, ABC Signature made offers with such creators as Levy, Aline Brosh McKenna, Nisha Ganatra, Jordan Reddout & Gus Hickey, Austen Earl, and Yvette Lee Bowser.

Frankel began her profession as a coordinator at ABC in 2004. She moved to ABC Studios and labored within the studio’s Comedy Division from 2007-2011, earlier than leaving to change into head of Comedy Improvement for USA Community. There, she developed the collection Taking part in Home, Sirens and Benched, earlier than returning to ABC Studios to work as VP within the Present Division from 2015-19. She has additionally labored in growth at Think about and Grammnet.