George Finkel

George Finkel (born July 29, 1936)) is a television sports producer and director. He is the son of architect Maurice Herman Finkel.

He graduated from University of Michigan in 1958. He worked for NBC Sports from August 1971 to February 1990 and won 3 Emmys, for producing Super Bowl XIII, 1982 Baseball World Series, and for producing gymnastics at the 1988 Olympics.

He also produced the highest rated basketball game in television history; the NCAA Final Game in 1979, which featured Michigan State, with Magic Johnson, over Indiana State, with Larry Bird.

Quotes

I didn’t have a job, so I took my small amount of money, and started driving south and west. I had a degree in Radio and TV, so that’s what I was looking for.

Playboy was young, and they cut corners where they could. I was used as a model for some ads and also some Playboy products. I modeled the first Bunny Logo Golf Shirt, and the Blazer & Skimmer Straw Hat for a Jazz festival. Next Hefner wanted a TV Show, and I became the Syndication Manager for the show. It was terrible, but it was something in TV.