Feb 05, 2013

C-STATE WELCOMES AWARD-WINNING HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITER GEORGE YANOK

Lecture Free and Open to the Public on Oct. 12

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Oct. 6, 2011) - - - Columbia State Community College's Lyceum Committee welcomes George Yanok on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in room 120 of the Waymon L. Hickman building on the Columbia campus. The teacher and Emmy award-winner will share his 30-year experience as a television and screen writer in Hollywood. The lecture is free and open to the public.

"George Yanok will provide a scintillating description of his years in the trenches of Hollywood," said Stuart Lenig, professor of communications and drama at Columbia State. "He'll spin stories, tell how it's done and give everyone a blow-by-blow story of life on a sound stage. This is an interesting lecture for the whole family."

Yanok, who crafted stories for multiple genres on major television networks, won two Emmys during his long-standing career and now teaches at Watkins Film School in Nashville. He blends his knowledge of the craft with his own life experiences of working in Hollywood alongside other writers, producers and actors. From this, he teaches what it takes to produce good quality television shows and how to make it in Hollywood on hard work and talent. In addition to his notable writing career, Yanok also worked as a production manager, producer and occasional actor.

Making his writing debut on the CBS classic, Hee Haw, Yanok provided audiences with skits, jokes and clever, quirky dialogue. Among his repertoire are shows such as Sanford and Son, Welcome Back Kotter, The Bob Newhart Show, Love American Style, Too Close for Comfort and Out of This World. In 1974, Yanok won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special for his work on Lily, a series of skits starring Richard Pryor, Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin. Two years later, he won again for his work on The Lily Tomlin Special and received an Outstanding Comedy Series nomination for his writing on Welcome Back Kotter. After the lecture, guests can meet Yanok for a question and answer session. Refreshments will be served.

For more information on this and other Lyceum events, contact the Lyceum Committee by emailing lyceum@columbiastate.edu, or visit the Lyceum calendar on the Columbia State website at www.columbiastate.edu/lyceum.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.


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