Michael Edelstein
President, Production, International Television
Based in London, Edelstein is responsible for driving growth through increased local television productions, expanding NBCUniversal's international television production footprint, building an internal creative team of talent and launching new business ventures.
Edelstein has direct operational responsibility for all international television production throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia. This includes responsibility for UK production companies, Carnival, acquired by NBCUniversal in 2008 and Monkey Kingdom, acquired in 2010.
Edelstein also works closely with WTTV, a joint TV production venture formed by NBCUniversal with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Headed by Shelly McCrory, WTTV produces comedy and drama television content for UK and US broadcasters. Additionally, NBCUniversal has strategic production deals with Lark Productions in Canada and Full Clip Productions in Los Angeles.
Previous to his appointment in June 2010, Edelstein ran The Edelstein Company and spent a year in Vancouver as executive producer of Defying Gravity with James Parriott in conjunction with Fox Television Studios.
Prior to this, Edelstein was one of the original executive producers of the international franchise phenomenon Desperate Housewives. He was instrumental in assembling the cast and directing the creative team behind the hit series, garnering himself an Emmy nomination along with two consecutive Golden Globes for Best Comedy Series.
As part of a multi-year overall production deal between The Edelstein Company and Touchstone Television/ABC Studios, Edelstein also executive produced the Elton John/Kim Cattrall half-hour pilot Him & Us in addition to Desperate Housewives for the ABC Television Network.
Edelstein began his career in episodic television working for Leslie Moonves at CBS Entertainment where he served as Director, Current Programs. Before joining CBS, he was Director of Movies and Miniseries for Polygram Television and has also served in similar capacities at Citadel Entertainment and Hearst Entertainment. He began his career as a junior executive at Stephen J. Cannell Productions in their movies for television department.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Edelstein graduated from The University of California, Los Angeles magna cum laude and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa academic honour society.
