TV, film producer William Self dies

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- William Self, the movie and television executive who produced John Wayne's last movie, has died in California, his daughter said.

Self, 89, died Monday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center as a result of a heart attack Nov. 11, his daughter Barbara Malone said in a Los Angeles Times report.

Self was in charge of television production at 20th Century-Fox in the 1960s and early '70s when its roster of shows included "Mash," "Batman" and "Peyton Place."

The former actor launched his television career behind the camera in the early 1950s, and produced the "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" for four years. He also produced "The Frank Sinatra Show," and became director of development at CBS, where his first pilot was for Rod Serling's series "The Twilight Zone."

"He was a major influence on television programming during that period, and Fox became very successful as a major television-producing company," said Alan Silverbach, who was senior vice president in charge of worldwide television distribution at 20th Century-Fox Television at the time.

When he left Fox at the end of 1974, Self had risen through the ranks to become president of 20th Century-Fox Television and vice president of 20th Century-Fox Corp., the newspaper said.

His wife of 66 years, Margaret, died in 2007. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by a son, Edwin, a sister, Jean Bright; four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Self will be buried Monday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif.