The producers of The Sopranos and the executive who turned Bravo Cable Network into a $1.25 billion company in 2002 are former UI students. They are just a few of the Iowa alumni who went on to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry.

Executives and producers

• Mitchell A. Burgess and Robin L. Green—Executive producers of The Sopranos and Northern Exposure. Burgess received a BA in History, 1978. Green received an MA in English, 1977.
• Kathleen A. Dore—A top entertainment industry executive and the former president of the Bravo Cable Network, IFC Co. (the parent company of the Independent Film Channel), and Rainbow Entertainment Services. BA, 1972; MBA, 1984.
• John Falsey—A consulting producer on the television series Providence, co-creator of St. Elsewhere, and executive producer of Northern Exposure. He won an Emmy in 1986, a Peabody in 1992, and a Golden Globe in 1992. MFA, 1978.
• Mark M. Johnson—Producer who won an Oscar for Rainman. His other film production credits include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Banger Sisters, Bugsy, Good Morning Vietnam, Tin Men, and Diner. MA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1973.
• Barry M. Kemp—Producer of the television hits Coach and Newhart. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1971.
• Richard W. Maibaum—Author of 13 James Bond film scripts. BA, 1931; MA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1932. He died in 1991.

Performers

• Bruce French—Actor whose credits include Mr. Mom, Legal Eagles, Fletch, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1967.
• Mary Beth Hurt—Film and stage actress who received three Tony Award nominations for her performances on Broadway. Her movie credits include Autumn in New York and The World According to Garp. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1968.
• Ashton Kutcher—Hollywood actor whose film credits include Dude, Where’s My Car? and Just Married. He studied biochemical engineering at Iowa in 1997 before he was recruited by a modeling agent. He posed for Versace and Calvin Klein before becoming a film and television actor.
• Gene Wilder—Comedic film and television actor whose credits include Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Young Frankenstein, and Stir Crazy. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1955.

Filmmakers

• Charles Guggenheim—A documentary filmmaker who has won three Academy Awards and been nominated for eight others. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1948.
• Jeanne Jordan—A documentary she co-directed with Steven Ascher, Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern, was nominated for an Academy Award in 1995. BA, English, 1973.
• Nicholas Meyer—Film writer and director whose film credits include Fatal Attraction, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and Star Trek II. BA, Communication and Theatre Arts, 1968.
• Stewart Stern—Hollywood screenwriter whose credits include writing Rebel Without a Cause (starring James Dean) and Sybil (starring Sally Field as a woman with multiple personality disorder). He attended Iowa to study art in the 1940s, but after serving in WWII, he began writing screenplays.