Many of those behind-the-scenes of the mega SciFi Channel hit series “Battlestar Galactica” have become household names. People like Ronald D. Moore, David Eick and others. However, there is one man who stood behind the sets that without his insight, expertise and Emmy-winning producing ability, BSG would have never seen the light of day and that man was producer Harvey Frand, the main man, many would agree, who was responsible for the show’s acclaimed and unprecendented 2005 Peabody Award.
A week ago Frand entered a LA hospital complaining of respiratory distress and now he is gone at the age of 68.
With a production career that spanned nearly four decades, Frand was responsible for such hits as Rock Hudson’s “The Devlin Connection,” “Beauty and the Beast” – which launched the careers of later superstars Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and Linda Hamilton (Terminator), cult-fave “The Pretender,” 34 episodes of the cult classic “The Twilight Zone” and much, much more.
Everyone in Hollywood circles are stunned by his death. “Harvey was the Wizard of Oz, the man behind the curtain, the train engineer, the orchestra conductor, the school guidance counselor,” NBC Universal executive Todd Sharp said. “He was adored by executive producers and production assistants, studio and network, cast and crew.”
BSG’s co-writer and co-producer Bradley Thompson added, “In addition to finding a way to put every dime on the screen, he was an exceptional judge of material. He knew what we needed to tell our stories and never compromised on that. But he would constantly challenge us to find creative ways to make the piece work within the constraints of physical and financial reality. And if he felt we needed that something extra … say a nuclear explosion or two … to make the story play, he’d go to the mat to make it happen.”
Frand is survived by Bill Bowersock, his domestic partner of 32 years. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles’ Alive Music Project.
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