Lee Rich Dead: TV Mogul Behind 'The Waltons,' 'Dallas' And 'Eight Is Enough'

Lee Rich, the mogul behind some of TV's most popular programming like "The Waltons," "Dallas" and "Eight Is Enough," has died, Deadline reports.

He was 85 at the time of his death.

According to People magazine, Rich attended Ohio University and then started out at the Benton & Bowles advertising agency, where he sold sitcoms like "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Danny Thomas Show." Benton & Bowles and the rest of the New York ad agencies on Madison Avenue controlled much of TV at the time, so Rich largely served as an additional producer on shows. He left the agency as senior vice president in 1965 to form his own production company, Mirisch-Rich Productions.

Rich eventually formed Lorimar Productions and served as executive producer of the company's successful series like "The Waltons," "Eight Is Enough," "Dallas" and its spinoff "Knots Landing." In 1980, he told People magazine, "I know exactly what 'Dallas' is. It's crap. But we do it as well as possible, and people are entertained by vicarious thrills."

And his legacy with the show will live on because "Dallas" is soon to be relaunched on TNT (it premieres Wed., June 13 at 9 p.m. ET) with some of the original cast, including Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy.

Rich also executive-produced many TV movies, including Sally Field's Emmy-winning "Sybil." Rich was the head of Lorimar until 1986, but left to join MGM/UA Communications as chairman/CEO. He resigned in 1988 to return to independent production.

For more on Lee Rich's passing, click over to Deadline.

To remember more recently passed celebrities, click through the slideshow below:

Pete Postlethwaite

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Pete Postlethwaite

Pete Postlethwaite, actor, Feb. 16, 1946 - Jan. 2, 2011

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