David E. Kelley
The attorney-turned-writer who dominated network television for decades with sharp, quirky legal dramas and complex character studies.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American television producer, writer and attorney·Birthday: April 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
David E. Kelley didn't just write lawyer shows; he used the courtroom as a stage for the American psyche. A Boston College and Harvard Law graduate, he practiced law briefly before a script sale to Steven Bochco launched his career. His voice was immediately distinct—a blend of whip-smart legal procedure, eccentric humor, and deep moral inquiry. He became a one-man hit factory, creating 'Picket Fences,' 'Chicago Hope,' 'The Practice,' and the whimsical 'Ally McBeal,' often writing every episode himself in a legendary display of creative stamina. After defining the network era, he seamlessly transitioned to premium cable, producing the searing suburban noir 'Big Little Lies' for HBO. Kelley's world is populated by flawed, hyper-articulate professionals, and his stories masterfully mix social commentary with addictive melodrama, making him one of the most consistently successful and distinctive voices in television history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created and wrote the majority of episodes for multiple successful TV series, including 'Ally McBeal,' 'The Practice,' 'Boston Legal,' and 'Picket Fences.'
- Won multiple Emmy Awards for both 'The Practice' (Outstanding Drama Series) and 'Ally McBeal' (Outstanding Comedy Series) in the same year (1999).
- Successfully transitioned to premium cable as an executive producer of the critically and commercially successful HBO limited series 'Big Little Lies.'
Did You Know?
He is married to actress Michelle Pfeiffer, whom he met on a blind date set up by a producer friend.
Kelley was a college hockey player at Princeton University before transferring to Boston College.
He wrote the screenplay for the film 'To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday,' which starred his wife, Michelle Pfeiffer.
“I like writing characters who are smarter than I am. It's a great excuse to learn.”
