David Yarnell, Beloved Producer of ‘Firing Line,’ ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’ and ABC’s ‘In Concert,’ Passes Away at 96
Veteran Producer David Yarnell Passes Away at 96
David Yarnell, a distinguished producer whose career spanned the early days of television with figures like William F. Buckley to the acclaimed 2018 drama Can You Ever Forgive Me?, passed away on January 28 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 96 years old.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Toni Howard, a CAA agent. While the cause of death has not been disclosed, the announcement emphasized that Yarnell died surrounded by family.
Yarnell’s extensive producing and directing credits include the influential show Firing Line with Buckley, the popular TNT programming featuring Joe Bob Briggs, and numerous other notable productions such as Candid Camera, Love, American Style, and That’s Incredible. He was pivotal in the launch of ABC’s groundbreaking In Concert in 1972, which brought iconic rock bands like Alice Cooper and The Allman Brothers Band to network television.
Born on March 14, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, Yarnell graduated from Brooklyn Law School before studying at Cooper Union School of Art. It was during his time at Cooper Union that he discovered his passion for radio, film, and television.
Yarnell began his professional journey as the program director for Channel 5 in New York, later becoming the creator and executive producer of Firing Line. He collaborated with David Frost and was involved in producing the radio broadcasts of Muhammad Ali’s fights.
Throughout his career, he held significant positions, including Vice President of Programming at Metromedia and RKO General, and later as an executive at Screen Gems. Yarnell received an Emmy nomination for his work on the Joe Bob Briggs programs for TNT and produced the 1999 CBS film Deep in My Heart, which earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Anne Bancroft.
In 1972, he created and produced In Concert, which later evolved into the nine-season Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, featuring legendary artists like The Rolling Stones and Queen, culminating in the production of 180 ninety-minute shows.
Yarnell also produced comedy-variety specials for HBO featuring talents such as Roseanne Barr and Dolly Parton. He founded DY Productions to focus on documentaries, notably producing the first television biography of director Billy Wilder for PBS’s American Masters series in 1998, along with the TNT series AFI 100 Years and Television’s Greatest Performances for ABC.
His final major project was the production of Can You Ever Forgive Me?, based on the memoir of literary forger Lee Israel, which Yarnell had optioned two decades earlier. The film earned critical acclaim, leading to Oscar nominations for both Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant.
Yarnell is survived by Howard, whom he married in 1989. Together, they established the Toni and David Yarnell Merit Award of Excellence in Architecture and Art at Cooper Union, supporting the next generation of creatives.
