Todd A. Kessler (born 1972) is an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and director.
Education After graduating from Cranbrook Kingswood School in 1990, Kessler graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in dramatic literature and playwriting. He has twice been a visiting artist at Harvard, teaching screenwriting seminars.
Career Kessler began his career as a playwright working with David Rabe, moving into film and television when Spike Lee hired him as a screenwriter. Kessler wrote and produced the second and third seasons of HBO's The Sopranos, Michael Mann's Robbery Homicide Division, and the first season of NBC's Providence.
Kessler is credited with co-writing (with David Chase) the Sopranos season two finale, "Funhouse," widely lauded as one of the best episodes of the series. Despite his success on The Sopranos, Chase did not retain Kessler beyond season three, an experience Kessler described as "painful and formative." Kessler and Sopranos actor James Gandolfini became close friends during Kessler's time writing for the show.
Kessler was the co-creator and head writer of the FX drama series Damages, along with his older brother, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman. He has a small role in Damages as Perry the Doorman.
In 2015, Kessler's Kyle Chandler-led Netflix series, Bloodline, premiered. In 2016, it was cancelled and ended its run after its third season in 2017.
Awards and nominations Kessler has been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards. Todd Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman were nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for their work on the Damages pilot episode "Get Me A Lawyer".
Kessler has been nominated for five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
Filmography Year Title Credited as Notes Writer Producer DirectorCreator 1997 The Visitor Co-wrote "Going Home" 1999 Providence 3 episodes, also executive story editor2000–2001The Sopranos Wrote 5 episodes, also co-producer2002–2003Robbery Homicide Division Supervising producer, wrote 5 episodes2007–2012Damages Wrote 25 episodes and directed 7 episodes2015–2017Bloodline Wrote 8 episodes and directed 4 episodes2024–presentThe New Look Wrote 8 episodes and directed 2 episodes
References
External links
Damages official website containing Todd A. Kessler biography Interview with Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman at TV Guide