Joe Bures, who spent two decades as a business executive at NBC, died Friday in Fayetteville, Georgia, his daughter Diana announced. He was 83.
Bures started out in the contracts department at NBC in New York, took a position in Burbank and remained with the company until his retirement as senior vp business affairs in 1997.
He worked on deals for such shows as Wheel of Fortune, Unsolved Mysteries, Riptide, Frasier, The Wonderful World of Disney, Law & Order, ER and Knight Rider. Late NBC president Brandon Tartikoff established the Joe Bures Negotiating Award to recognize his achievements, and it was handed out to other employees in subsequent years.
Born on Nov. 28, 1936, Bures was raised in Shelton, Connecticut. After graduating from Ohio State University, he served from 1958-61 in the U.S. Army, then attended the Baylor University School of Law and New York University, from which he received his master’s degree in law.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Marcia Ann; daughters Jennifer and Diana; son-in law James; grandson Grant; sister Evelyn and her husband, Jim; niece Sharon; and nephews Brian and David.
