Life and career

Tinker was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Margaret (née Hessin) and Arthur Almerin Tinker. During World War II, Tinker served in the Army Air Corps Reserve. Tinker married Moore in 1962, and in 1969 they formed the television production company MTM Enterprises. While creating MTM Enterprises, Tinker hired Room 222 writers James L. Brooks and Allan Burns to create and produce the company's first television series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. MTM Enterprises produced such popular American sitcoms and drama television series such as Rhoda, The Bob Newhart Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere.

After his divorce from Moore in 1981, Tinker left MTM Enterprises to become the chairman and CEO of then perennial last-place American television network (in terms of Nielsen ratings and profits) NBC. During Tinker's tenure in NBC's top position, the network regained ratings and produced popular shows like The Cosby Show, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Night Court, and Hill Street Blues. Tinker left the network in 1986, shortly after its parent company RCA was bought by General Electric.

After leaving NBC, Tinker tried to repeat his success with MTM Enterprises by forming GTG (Grant Tinker-Gannett) Entertainment but the business venture failed and the company closed in 1990.

Tinker was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1997.

Tinker is a graduate of Dartmouth College. He is the father of producers Mark Tinker and John Tinker.

In 1994, Tinker wrote a book with Bud Rukeyser titled Tinker in Television. That same year, he won a personal Peabody Award "for recognizing, protecting, and fostering creativity of the highest order."

[ Source: Wikipedia ]