ABC Family head of programming Linda Mancuso died over the weekend after a six-year fight with cancer. The NBC veteran was 44 years old.
Mancuso went to work for ABC Family, part of The Walt Disney Co., just over one year ago.
Prior to that, she had spent more than 20 years at NBC, where she ultimately became chief operating officer at Peter Engel Productions/NBC Enterprises. In that slot, she oversaw primetime-series production, including more than 500 half-hours of teen comedies for the NBC network, cable and syndication.
Prior to that post, Mancuso served four years as vice president of primetime series at NBC, where she was part of the primetime-development team and the current executive on the first two seasons of ER.
"Linda made so many contributions to our industry," Anne Sweeney, president of the ABC Cable Networks Group, said in a prepared statement. "Her love of the creative process, talent and her team were inspiring to everyone who came in contact with her. We will remember her warmth, humor and generosity of spirit forever."
Mancuso was recruited by then-ABC Family president Angela Shapiro, who recently opted to leave the network after Disney corporate put it under Sweeney’s purview.
There is no word yet on Mancuso’s or Shapiro’s successors.
A memorial mass for Mancuso, who passed away Sunday, will be held this Saturday in Chicago, with a memorial service in Los Angeles slated for Jan. 14.
Mancuso’s family asks that donations be sent to The Linda Mancuso Memorial Fund at Good Samaritan Hospital Cancer Institute, 1225 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90017.
