William D'Elia is an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.
Life D'Elia grew up in Queens, New York City, and is a second generation Italian-American. He graduated from Ithaca College, and earned a master's degree in communication arts from William Paterson University in 1972.
D'Elia has two sons with his wife, Ellie Dombroski: actor and comedian Chris D'Elia, and filmmaker Matt D'Elia.
Career In the 1980s, D'Elia was a director of television commercials. In 1989, he independently produced and directed the film The Feud, based on the 1983 novel by Thomas Berger. The film attracted the attention of Steven Bochco, who hired D'Elia to direct an episode of Doogie Howser, M.D.. D'Elia went on to direct episodes of numerous other television series including Northern Exposure, Glee, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Legal, and The West Wing. D'Elia was an executive producer and a director of Chicago Hope, Boston Legal, Ally McBeal, Harry's Law, Monday Mornings, The Crazy Ones (all collaborations with David E. Kelley), and the Shonda Rhimes series How To Get Away With Murder. He also co-created the series Judging Amy. He is currently an executive producer and a director for the Disney+ series Big Shot starring John Stamos.
Awards D'Elia has been nominated for a total of eight Emmy Awards – four as director and four as executive producer: Chicago Hope (two for producing, one for directing); one for directing Ally McBeal; and two each for producing and directing Boston Legal.
Filmography Film Year Title Functioned as Notes Director Producer Writer 1989 The Feud 1995 Big Dreams & Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story Television film 1995 In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy Television film 1996 The Tomorrow Man Television film 2011 American Animal
Television Year Title Functioned as Notes Director Producer Writer 1992 Law & Order "Forgiveness" (Season 3, Episode 3) 1991–1993 Doogie Howser, M.D. "My Two Dads" (Season 2, Episode 18)"Double Doogie with Cheese" (Season 3, Episode 15)"Spell It 'M-A-N'" (Season 4, Episode 14) 1991–1993 Reasonable Doubts "...and Sleep Won't Come" (Season 1, Episode 5)"Home Is Where the Heart Is" (Season 1, Episode 18)"Mercury in Retrograde" (Season 2, Episode 5)"Trust Me on This: Part 1" (Season 2, Episode 22)"Trust Me on This: Part 2" (Season 2, Episode 23) 1991–1994 Northern Exposure "War and Peace" (Season 2, Episode 6)"Only You" (Season 3, Episode 2)"A-Hunting We Will Go" (Season 3, Episode 8)"Northern Lights" (Season 4, Episode 18)"Fish Story" (Season 5, Episode 18) 1992–1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 "Baby Makes Five" (Season 2, Episode 22)"Back in the High Life Again" (Season 3, Episode 19)"So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye" (Season 4, Episode 1) 1993 Harts of the West "The Right Stuff" (Season 1, Episode 2)"Goodnight Irene" (Season 1, Episode 5)"Jake's Brother" (Season 1, Episode 8) 1993–1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman "Pheromone, My Lovely" (Season 1, Episode 10)"Foundling" (Season 1, Episode 16)"The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) 1994 Picket Fences "Abominable Snowman" (Season 2, Episode 13)"Away in the Manger" (Season 3, Episode 10) 1995 Courthouse All episodes 1996 Time Well Spent Pilot only 1996–2000 Chicago Hope Season 3–6 1999 Get Real "Performance Anxiety" (Season 1, Episode 6) 1999–2004 The West Wing "The Short List" (Season 1, Episode 9)"Guns Not Butter" (Season 4, Episode 12)"The Warfare of Genghis Khan" (Season 5, Episode 13) 1999–2005 Judging Amy All episodes 2000–2002 Ally McBeal Season 4–5 2002 American Dreams "Soldier Boy" (Season 1, Episode 6) 2002 Saturday Night Live "Al Gore/Phish" (Season 28, Episode 8) 2003 Queens Supreme All episodes 2003 The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire "Sleeping Lions" (Season 1, Episode 4) 2003 Miracles "Saint Debbie" (Season 1, Episode 10) 2003 111 Gramercy Park Pilot only 2004 The Practice "The Case Against Alan Shore" (Season 8, Episode 18)"The Firm" (Season 8, Episode 19)"Comings and Goings" (Season 8, Episode 20)"New Hoods on the Block" (Season 8, Episode 21)"Adjourned" (Season 8, Episode 22) 2004–2008 Boston Legal All episodes as producer17 episodes as director 2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent "Rock Star" (Season 8, Episode 2) 2009 Eastwick "Mooning and Crooning" (Season 1, Episode 5) 2009 Glee "Hairography" (Season 1, Episode 11) 2009–2019 Grey's Anatomy "Here's to Future Days" (Season 5, Episode 23)"Goodbye" (Season 6, Episode 2)"Perfect Little Accident" (Season 6, Episode 16)"Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right" (Season 10, Episode 23)"Fear" (Season 10, Episode 24)”1-800-799-7233” (Season 14, Episode 9)”Cold As Ice” (Season 14, Episode 23)”Good Shepherd“ (Season 15, Episode 21) 2010 The Mentalist "Redline" (Season 2, Episode 13) 2011 Wonder Woman Pilot only 2011–2012 Harry's Law All episodes as producer7 episodes as director 2013 Monday Mornings All episodes as producer4 episodes as director 2013 Chris D'Elia: White Male. Black Comic Special television 2013–2014 The Crazy Ones All episodes 2014 Manhattan "A New Approach to Nuclear Cosmology" (Season 1, Episode 5) 2014–2020 How to Get Away with Murder All episodes as producer11 episodes as director 2015 Chris D'Elia Incorrigible Special television 2015–2016 Blunt Talk 3 episodes as director 2016 The Catch "The Package" (Season 1, Episode 8) 2016 Goliath "Game On" (Season 1, Episode 3) 2017 Chris D'Elia: Man on Fire Special television 2018 The Good Doctor 2 episodes as director 2018 The Resident "Identity Crisis" (Season 1, Episode 3) 2019 Grand Hotel 2 episodes as director 2021-2022 Big Shot
As actor Film Year Title Role Notes 2011My Date with Drew Himself Documentary
Television Year Title Role Notes 1995Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Superintendent Across the Hall "The Eyes Have It" (Season 2, Episode 12) 1995Courthouse Judge Wilson "Order on the Court " (Season 1, Episode 4) 2002Ally McBeal 'A Chorus Line' Producer "What I'll Never Do for Love Again" (Season 5, Episode 20)
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