Merv Adelson, Born in Los Angeles in 1929 and died on September 8, 2015 from cancer.
Merv moved to Las Vegas as a young man. There he became a millionaire while still in his 20s, after opening a then-novel 24-hour grocery store.
From there he got into real estate development, making him even richer.
Citing later in life a desire to get away from the more unsavory elements of Vegas life, Merv returned to Los Angeles in the 1960s and directed his wealth into the entertainment industry, joining together with developer Irwin Molasky and producer Lee Rich (who died in 2012), to found Lorimar in 1969.
At first focusing on made-for-television movies, the company soon branched out into original series, having a huge early hit with The Waltons.
It would go on to create numerous hits including Eight Is Enough and the massive cultural smash Dallas, TV’s top-rated drama from 1979 to 1984.
By the 1984 to 1985 TV season, three of the top 10 hit series were Lorimar productions: Dallas, Knots Landing, and Falcon Crest.
The company also would bring popular sitcoms Perfect Strangers and Full House into homes later in the decade, merging with TV syndicator Telepictures in 1986.
In 1989 the new company was sold to Warner Bros for $1.2 billion, and Merv became Vice Chairman at Warner, though he left the company in 1991.
Merv Adelson died at 85 on September 8, 2015 from cancer.