The award-winning producer, who once worked as a senior executive at CBS, has passed away at the age of 86 following a struggle with acute respiratory issue.
- Jun 23, 2021
AceShowbiz - "24" and "Brothers at War" producer Norman S. Powell has died, aged 86.
The industry veteran died of acute respiratory failure on 16 June (21), a spokesperson for the family confirmed to Deadline.
Powell was the son of Oscar-nominated cinematographer George Barnes and actress Joan Blondell, whose films included "Grease" and "The Champ".
After his parents' divorce in 1936, Norman was adopted by his mother's second husband, actor-director Dick Powell.
He got his start in the 1950s as a production manager on U.S. TV Westerns including "Wanted: Dead or Alive", "Gunsmoke", and "The Rifleman".
He was also a senior executive at American network CBS for 13 years and served as senior vice president of CBS Entertainment Productions from 1979 to 1992.
During his long producing career, he earned two Emmy nominations, for the 1977 miniseries "Washington: Behind Closed Doors" and the second season of Kiefer Sutherland's action drama "24", which also earned him a Producers Guild Award nomination.
He also executive-produced the 2009 award-winning docudrama "Brothers at War".
At the time of his passing, he was working on a sequel to "Brothers at War" and had almost completed a memoir.
Among Powell's directorial projects was the feature-length documentary "American Valor", about heroes who had received the country's Medal of Honor.
Funeral services for the late producer will be held on Friday, June 25 at Mount Sinai, Simi Valley in Los Angeles.
Donations in his memory can be made to The Gary Sinise Foundation.
