Greenblatt named entertainment president at Showtime

Openly gay TV producer Robert Greenblatt, whose Greenblatt Janollari Studio was behind such landmark series as Six Feet Under and American Family, has been named entertainment president of Showtime Networks, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He will take over on July 14, replacing Jerry Offsay, who announced his intentions to step down in March. "When we began the search process [for Offsay's successor], a bunch of people mentioned Bob's name, but they said we'd never be able to get him to come back to the executive side," Showtime Networks chairman and CEO Matt Blank told the Reporter. "The sensibility Bob brings to the network is particularly appropriate as we begin to execute a [programming] strategy that moves us a little more toward an emphasis on series." Before teaming with David Janollari, Greenblatt spent eight years as a senior development executive at Fox, where he helped develop such popular shows as The X-Files, Melrose Place, Party of Five, and Ally McBeal.