Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

David E. Kelley(I)

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000815
David E. Kelley at an event for Star Trek (2009)
Watch Robin's Wish Trailer
Play trailer2:17
Robin's Wish (2020)
2 Videos
69 Photos
David Kelley might be described as living the American Dream, 1990s' style: write a screenplay, move to Hollywood, make millions and marry a movie star. A former Boston lawyer, in the last decade, he switched careers to become a successful television producer whose shows are recognized for their quality as well as receiving top ratings. David Kelley was born in 1956 and is originally from Maine. He attended Princeton University and Boston University Law School. He married actress Michelle Pfeiffer in November 1993. They have two children: Claudia Rose Kelley, born in March 1993, who was adopted by Ms. Pfeiffer eight months before their marriage, and John Henry, born in August 1994. Claudia Rose Kelley was christened and given Mr. Kelley's name at the couple's wedding ceremony. Mr. Kelley was an associate at Fine & Ambrogne in 1983 when he wrote a film script based on some of his legal experiences. Through a family friend, he got the script optioned and acquired an agent in 1986. It was produced in 1987, as a film titled From the Hip (1987), starring Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, and John Hurt. At the same time, producers Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher (creators of the successful police drama Hill Street Blues (1981)) were planning a new series set in a law firm, and looking for writers with legal backgrounds. They saw Mr. Kelley's script and invited him to Los Angeles to discuss writing a single script for L.A. Law (1986). The meeting was so successful that Mr. Kelley joined the show's staff as a story editor. The next year, he became executive story editor, and after Terry Fisher left the show, he became the supervising producer. Steven Bochco left L.A. Law (1986) after the third season, and Mr. Kelley took over as executive producer, while continuing to write many of the scripts himself. Mr. Kelley has since produced more critically acclaimed and successful shows. He served as creative consultant on Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989), which was produced by Steven Bochco, and as executive producer and writer for Picket Fences (1992). He is the executive producer of Chicago Hope (1994). He is part of the television production division of Twentieth Century Fox, which has been owned by Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate, The News Corporation Ltd., since 1985.
BornApril 4, 1956
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornApril 4, 1956
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000815
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 11 Primetime Emmys
    • 27 wins & 49 nominations total

Photos69

Gil Bellows, David E. Kelley, and Patrick Muldoon in Ally McBeal (1997)
Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon, Alexander Skarsgård, David E. Kelley, Gregg Fienberg, Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari, Jean-Marc Vallée, Zoë Kravitz, and Nathan Ross in The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards (2017)
David E. Kelley
David E. Kelley at an event for Mr. Mercedes (2017)
Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley
Calista Flockhart and David E. Kelley at an event for Ally McBeal (1997)
David E. Kelley
David E. Kelley
Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley at an event for 75th Golden Globe Awards (2018)
Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, David E. Kelley, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz at an event for 75th Golden Globe Awards (2018)
Reese Witherspoon, David E. Kelley, and Zoë Kravitz at an event for Big Little Lies (2017)
Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Alexander Skarsgård, David E. Kelley, Jean-Marc Vallée, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz at an event for Big Little Lies (2017)

Known for:

Lara Flynn Boyle, Dylan McDermott, Steve Harris, and Kelli Williams in The Practice (1997)
The Practice
7.7
TV Series
  • Writer(creator)
L.A. Law (1986)
L.A. Law
7.1
TV Series
  • Writer
Calista Flockhart in Ally McBeal (1997)
Ally McBeal
6.9
TV Series
  • Writer(creator)
Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz in Big Little Lies (2017)
Big Little Lies
8.5
TV Series
  • Writer(creator)

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Writer

  • The Lincoln Lawyer
    • created by (creator)
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • A Man in Full
    • Writer
    • Post-production
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2023
  • The Institute
    • Writer
    • In Development
    • TV Mini Series
  • Presumed Innocent
    • Writer
    • In Production
    • TV Series
  • Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in The Lincoln Lawyer (2022)
    The Lincoln Lawyer
    • created by
    • teleplay by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Elizabeth Olsen in Love & Death (2023)
    Love & Death
    • created by
    • written for television by (creator)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2023
  • Milo Manheim, Alex Aiono, and Peyton Elizabeth Lee in Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. (2021)
    Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.
    • based upon the television series "Doogie Howser, M.D." created by
    • TV Series
    • 2021–2023
  • Reba McEntire, Jensen Ackles, Katheryn Winnick, and Kylie Bunbury in Big Sky (2020)
    Big Sky
    • created by
    • written for television by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2020–2023
  • Avalon
    • created by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Jeff Wilbusch and Juliana Canfield in The Calling (2022)
    The Calling
    • created by
    • written for television by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • John Stamos, Jessalyn Gilsig, Sara Echeagaray, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sophia Mitri Schloss, Cricket Wampler, Tisha Custodio, Tiana Le, and Nell Verlaque in Big Shot (2021)
    Big Shot
    • created by
    • story by
    • teleplay by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2021–2022
  • Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, and Michelle Dockery in Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
    Anatomy of a Scandal
    • series created by
    • written for the screen by
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2022
  • Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath (2016)
    Goliath
    • created by
    • written by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2016–2021
  • Nicole Kidman, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Asher Keddie, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Tiffany Boone, Grace Van Patten, Samara Weaving, Manny Jacinto, and Melvin Gregg in Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
    Nine Perfect Strangers
    • created by
    • developed by
    • written for television by (creator) ...
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2021
  • Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in The Undoing (2020)
    The Undoing
    • created by
    • written for television by (creator)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2020
  • Brendan Gleeson in Mr. Mercedes (2017)
    Mr. Mercedes
    • developed by
    • teleplay by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2019
  • Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz in Big Little Lies (2017)
    Big Little Lies
    • created by
    • story by
    • teleplay by (creator) ...
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2019
  • The Crazy Ones (2013)
    The Crazy Ones
    • created by
    • written by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2013–2014
  • Monday Mornings (2013)
    Monday Mornings
    • created by
    • teleplay by
    • written by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2013

Producer

  • A Man in Full
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • Post-production
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2023
  • The Institute
    • executive producer
    • In Development
    • TV Mini Series
  • Presumed Innocent
    • producer (showrunner)
    • In Production
    • TV Series
  • Elizabeth Olsen in Love & Death (2023)
    Love & Death
    • executive producer
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2023
  • Reba McEntire, Jensen Ackles, Katheryn Winnick, and Kylie Bunbury in Big Sky (2020)
    Big Sky
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2020–2023
  • Avalon
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Jeff Wilbusch and Juliana Canfield in The Calling (2022)
    The Calling
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • John Stamos, Jessalyn Gilsig, Sara Echeagaray, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sophia Mitri Schloss, Cricket Wampler, Tisha Custodio, Tiana Le, and Nell Verlaque in Big Shot (2021)
    Big Shot
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2021–2022
  • Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in The Lincoln Lawyer (2022)
    The Lincoln Lawyer
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, and Michelle Dockery in Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
    Anatomy of a Scandal
    • executive producer
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2022
  • Nicole Kidman, Bobby Cannavale, Regina Hall, Asher Keddie, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Tiffany Boone, Grace Van Patten, Samara Weaving, Manny Jacinto, and Melvin Gregg in Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)
    Nine Perfect Strangers
    • executive producer
    • showrunner
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2021
  • Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in The Undoing (2020)
    The Undoing
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2020
  • Brendan Gleeson in Mr. Mercedes (2017)
    Mr. Mercedes
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2019
  • Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz in Big Little Lies (2017)
    Big Little Lies
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2019
  • Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath (2016)
    Goliath
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • The Crazy Ones (2013)
    The Crazy Ones
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2013–2014
  • Monday Mornings (2013)
    Monday Mornings
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • Kathy Bates in Harry's Law (2011)
    Harry's Law
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2011–2012

Additional Crew

  • Boston Public (2000)
    Boston Public
    • executive consultant
    • TV Series
    • 2002–2004
  • Hector Elizondo, Mandy Patinkin, Roma Maffia, Adam Arkin, Roxanne Hart, and E.G. Marshall in Chicago Hope (1994)
    Chicago Hope
    • executive consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1995–1999
  • Picket Fences (1992)
    Picket Fences
    • executive consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1995–1996
  • L.A. Law (1986)
    L.A. Law
    • executive consultant
    • executive story editor
    • story editor
    • TV Series
    • 1986–1992
  • Neil Patrick Harris in Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989)
    Doogie Howser, M.D.
    • creative consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1989–1992
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos2

How "Love & Death" Awoke Elizabeth Olsen's Love of Disco
Clip 4:18
How "Love & Death" Awoke Elizabeth Olsen's Love of Disco
Robin's Wish Trailer
Trailer 2:17
Robin's Wish Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 6′ 1¼″ (1.86 m)
  • Born
    • April 4, 1956
    • Waterville, Maine, USA
  • Spouse
    • Michelle PfeifferNovember 13, 1993 - present (2 children)
  • Children
      John Henry
  • Parents
    • Jack Kelley
  • Relatives
    • Lori Pfeiffer(Sibling)
  • Publicity listings
    • 6 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Michelle Pfeiffer was already in the process of adopting a child by the time she met David. They had only been together for two months when their daughter Claudia Rose was added to their family.
  • Quotes
    I tend to be a little grand in terms of storytelling, I've never been limited by anybody's sense of reality.

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Production art
List
The Best Things to Watch in June
See the list
Production art
Photos
See These Trending Actors in Early Roles
Can you place the face?

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Demo reel thumbnail
Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel

Add demo reel with IMDbPro

Make your IMDb page stand out by adding a demo reel
Upload your demo reel
Demo reel thumbnail

How much have you seen?

Keep track of how much of David E. Kelley’s work you have seen. Go to your list.
Production art
Photos
LGBTQIA+ Power Couples of Hollywood
See the photos

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.