Jonathan Towers Biography ((?)-)

Raised in Larchmont, NY; married Ariel Schaffner (a producer); children: Alexander, Julian. Addresses: Office: Towers Productions, Inc., 549 West Randolph St., Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60661.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Producer, studio executive

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Executive Producer
Series
(With Bill Kurtis) American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1992-
Minute by Minute, Arts and Entertainment, beginning 2001
Television Producer
Series
DEA, Fox, 1990
DEA: Special Task Force, Fox, 1991
Television Executive Producer
Specials
Reginald Denny: Jury under Siege, Arts and Entertainment, 1994
Empire of Crime: A Century of the New York Mob, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
The Great Depression, History Channel, 1997
On the Brink: Doomsday, The Learning Channel, 1997
Blackouts, History Channel, 1999
The Drowning of Florence, Italy, History Channel, 1999
Killer Quakes, History Channel, 1999
Landslides!, History Channel, 1999
Murder in the Family, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
Panic! Deadly Inferno, History Channel, 1999
Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes, History Channel, 1999
Super Outbreak Tornadoes, History Channel, 1999
The Wrath of God: Disasters in America, History Channel, 1999
Wrath of God: Collisions in the Mist, History Channel, 1999
Wrath of God: Fire in the Hole!--Mining Disasters, History Channel, 1999
Buffalo Blizzard: Siege and Survival, History Channel, 2000
Chilean Earthquake: The End of the World, History Channel, 2000
Dangerous Medicine?, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
Halsey's Typhoons: Peril on the Sea, History Channel, 2000
Holland 1953: Assault of the Sea, History Channel, 2000
Hurricane Warning, History Channel, 2000
The Kennedys: The Curse of Power, History Channel, 2000
Mississippi: River Out of Control, History Channel, 2000
Nor'easter: Killer Storms, History Channel, 2000
The Onion Field, History Channel, 2000
Raise the Hunley, History Channel, 2000
Shaken to the Core: Alaskan Earthquake, History Channel, 2000
Snowbound: The Curse of the Sierra, History Channel, 2000
Wild Justice: Bounty Hunters, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
The Wrath of God: Death in the Potomac: The Crash of Flight 90, History Channel, 2000
Wrath of God: Fire under the Big Top, History Channel, 2000
Madalyn Murray O'Hair, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Margot Kidder, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
The Matthew Shepard Story--Special, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Organized Crime: A World History, History Channel, 2001
Shattered Innocence: The Fells Acres Abuse Case, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Television Producer
Specials
Gander Crash: Why Did They Die?, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
Who Killed JFK? On the Trail of the Conspiracies, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
Television Executive Producer
Episodic
"Al Capone: Scarface," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1995
"Leona Helmsley: Queen of the Palace," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1995
"Jeffrey Dahmer: Mystery of a Serial Killer," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1996
"The Gambinos: First Family of Crime," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
"Murder `In Cold Blood,'" American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
"UFOs vs. the Government," The Unexplained, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
(And supervising producer) "A Civil Action," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
"Fall from Grace," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
"The Green Beret Murder Mystery," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
"The Hillside Stranglers," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
(And supervising producer) "Hunting Bambi: The Laurie Bambenek Story," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998

"Marriage & Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment,1998
"Selena: Murder of a Star," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
"Ann Landers: America's Confidante," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Body of Evidence: The Tom Capano Trial," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Celebrity Close Encounters," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Crimes of Passion: The Pamela Smart Story," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Death Row Women," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Drowning in Lies: The Trials of Edward Post," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Duty, Honor ... and Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"It's Not My Fault: Strange Defenses," American Justice, Arts andEntertainment, 1999
"J. Edgar Hoover: Personal and Confidential," Biography, Arts andEntertainment, 1999
"Joe Bonanno: The Last Godfather," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"John Wayne Gacy: Monster in Disguise," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Jonesboro Schoolyard Ambush," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Justice Denied: The Hurricane Carter Story," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Justice Denied: Wrong Place, Wrong Time," American Justice, Artsand Entertainment, 1999
"The Larry Flynt Story: Hustling the First Amendment," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Lethal Injection: The Hospital Murders," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Payback for a Bully," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Richard Speck," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"The Sinatra Kidnapping," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Tales of the FBI," History Alive, History Channel, 1999
"A Teenage Murder Mystery," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Till Death Do Us Part: The Barbara Stager Story," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Vigilante Dad," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
"Who Killed the Candy Heiress? The Helen Brach Story" (also known as "WhoKilled the Candy Heiress?: Helen Brach"), American Justice, Arts andEntertainment, 1999
"Behind the Blue Wall: Police Brutality," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Blueprint for a Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"The California Killing Field," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Campus Insecurity," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Colonel Robert McCormick: Chicago Press Baron," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Contaminated: The Karen Silkwood Story," History's Mysteries, History Channel, 2000
(And supervising producer) "Dancing, Drugs, and Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Deadly Magnolia: Patricia Allanson," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"e-Terror," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Ed McMahon: America's Sidekick," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"A Family Secret: The Death of Lisa Steinberg," American Justice,Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Free to Murder Again," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment,2000
"Getting Away with Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Jimmy Hoffa: The Man behind the Mystery," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Kill Thy Neighbor: George Trepal," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"The Killer Within," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"The Legacy of Al Capone," History's Mysteries, History Channel, 2000
"The Life and Death of Teena Brandon," American Justice, Arts andEntertainment, 2000
(And supervising producer) "Murder in a College Town," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Murder on a Reservation," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"The Mysterious Dr. Swango," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Oil, Money ... and Murder," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
(And supervising producer) "A Parent's Nightmare," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Sally Hemings: Redefining History," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"The Trial of Louise Woodward," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"When a Child Kills," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Where Is Jimmy Hoffa?," History's Mysteries, History Channel, 2000
"The Wife Who Knew Too Much," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
"Witness Protection: Dealing with the Devil," History's Mysteries,History Channel, 2000
"The Atlanta Child Murders," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Bill Bixby: Chasing Perfection," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"The Deadly Trail of Sharif Sharif" (also known as "Sharif Sharif"), Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Death in a Small Town," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment,2001
"Eliminating the Competition," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"The Erin Brockovich Story," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"The Famous Wally Amos: The Cookie King," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Genovese: Portrait of a Crime Family" (also known as "Crime Family"), American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Graham Kerr: The Galloping Gourmet," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Henry Hill: Goodfella," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Hiding in Plain Sight: Tales of a Fugitive," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Jack Ruby on Trial," History's Mysteries, History Channel, 2001
"Karen Silkwood: A Life on the Line," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Lying Eyes," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Making a Buck," Time Machine, History Channel, 2001
"Mario Puzo: Father of the Godfather," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Mary Kay Letourneau: Out of Bounds," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Richard Simmons: Fit for Life," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Shotgun Justice," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"A Son's Confession," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Who Wants to Kill a Millionaire?," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
"Driven to Kill," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2002
"The Girl in the Box," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2002
"Millions of Reasons to Kill," American Justice, Arts and Entertainment, 2002
"Sante and Kenneth Kimes: Family Ties," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2002
"UFOs: Testing the Evidence," The Unexplained, History Channel, 2002
Executive producer of "Roy Cohn: Joe McCarthy's Right Hand Man," Biography, Arts and Entertainment.
Television Producer
Episodic
"The Healing Mind," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment,1992
"The Killing Culture," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
"Los Angeles: Anatomy of a Riot," Investigative Reports, Arts andEntertainment, 1992
"The Mafia in Italy," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
"The RFK Assassination," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
"Sins of the Fathers," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1993
Also produced an episode of The New Explorers.
WRITINGS
Teleplays
Who Killed JFK? On the Trail of the Conspiracies, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
"Sins of the Fathers," Investigative Reports, Arts and Entertainment, 1993

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Crain's Chicago Business, November 2, 1998

Electronic

RealScreen, http://www.realscreen.com, July 1, 1999
Towers Productions, http://www.towersproductions.com, May 26, 2003

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