Grant Tinker

Grant Almerin Tinker (January 11, 1926 – November 28, 2016) was an American television executive who served as chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986. Additionally, he was a co-founder of MTM Enterprises and a television producer. Life and career Tinker was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the son of Margaret (née Hessin) and Arthur Almerin Tinker. He had a younger sister, Joan. During World War II, Tinker served in the United States Army Air Forces Reserve. He graduated from Dartmouth College. His sons, Mark and John, are also television producers. In 1961, Tinker rejoined NBC and was the head of West Coast programming, where he was involved in developing I Spy, Dr. Kildare, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the original Star Trek, and Get Smart.