ABC Studios promotes Melanie Frankel to oversee comedy

Melanie Frankel

ABC Studios has appointed Melanie Frankel to oversee its comedy output, replacing Amy Hartwick who stepped down over the summer.

Frankel was previously VP of current series for ABC Studios and now becomes head of comedy, working across the company’s slate of shows.

The exec previously worked in comedy development for ABC Studios until 2011, when she left to join USA Network before returning to the Disney-owned outfit in 2015. She has been behind shows such as ABC drama Stumptown and also has credits on series including A Million Little Things and American Housewife.

Jonnie Davis, president of ABC Studios, said: “Melanie’s long-standing relationships in the creative community and her incredible ability to support and nurture talent at all levels make her the ideal person to run our comedy team.”

The Mouse House has been revamping ABC Studios over recent months as part of changes across its Disney Television Studios operation, which followed its acquisition of Fox assets.

ABC Studios now falls under the wider Disney Television Studios group along with others such as 20th Century Fox Television and FX Productions. The rejig saw Hartwick exit along with ABC Studios president Patrick Moran and the division’s exec VP of business operations Howard Davine stepping down. Former 20th Century TV exec Davis and Josh Sussman took the respective roles.