| About Joel Michael Mendel | |
|---|---|
| Known As | Mike Mendel |
| Age | 59 Years |
| Birth | September 24, 1964 |
| Gender | Male |
| Spouse | Juel Bestrop |
| Children | Jacob Mendel, Jesse Mendel |
| Siblings | Amy Leibowitz, David Mendel |
| Parents | Rita Mendel, Jack Mendel |
| Address | Studio City, Los Angeles, California |
| Country | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Job | Producer |
| Alumni | Syracuse University, Monroe Woodbury High School |
| Awards | Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (Rick and Morty, 2018), Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (The Simpsons, 1998), Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (The Simpsons, 1997), Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (The Simpsons, 1995) |
| Hometown | Monroe, New York |
| Shows | The Simpsons, Rick and Morty |
J. Michael Mendel, the producer behind popular animated series such as The Simpsons and Rick and Morty, passed away on September 22, 2019 at the age of 54. Adult Swim, people who have worked for him, and fans of the shows he has produced have expressed their grief and condolences to Mendel’s family. Our J. Michael Mendel wiki elaborates on this showbiz genius’ career and family.
J. Michael Mendel Was Raised in New York
Joel Michael Mendel, born on September 24, 1964, hails from Monroe, New York. He is the eldest son of three children born to Jack and Rita Mendel.
His parents were from Virginia, but lived in New York for 17 years with their kids before moving to Alabama.
Posted by Mike Mendel on Thursday, January 3, 2013
Mendel attended Monroe Woodbury High School in Woodbury, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University in 1986 with a BS in TV/Film production.
Mendel later called California his home and place of work.
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Mendel Was a Producer of The Simpsons
While he was a student at Syracuse, Mendel made his first foray into the entertainment industry as a summertime studio assistant for ABC soaps All My Children and Loving.
After graduating from college, Mendel moved to the West Coast where he began his production career.
His earliest credits were the 1987 newsroom “romedy” Broadcast News, and the 1988 Tom Hanks film Big.
But it would be animated productions that he became known for. In his early career, he produced The Critic, The PJs, The Oblongs, Drawn Together, Sit Down Shut Up, Good Vibes, Napoleon Dynamite, and more.
The Simpsons first started as an animated shorts segment on Fox’s The Tracey Ullman Show. When Fox gave the segment its own spin-off in 1989, Mendel left his job as post-production supervisor at The Tracey Ullman Show to work on The Simpsons.
He first served as the show’s line producer, enabling James L. Brooks’ Gracie Films and the network to work together in creating the show on time and on budget.
J. Michael Mendel produced over 200 episodes of The Simpsons and won three out of five Emmy nominations for the series. He would win his third Emmy in 2018 for producing Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty, which he had been working on from 2013 to 2017.
Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland and The Simpsons creator Al Jean were among Mendel’s coworkers who paid tribute to the late producer.
— [adult swim] (@adultswim) September 24, 2019
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Mendel Was Married to Casting Director Juel Bestrop
Juel Bestrop, an Emmy-winning casting director, was married to J. Michael Mendel for many years.
Bestrop has had a hand in casting on several TV shows and films. Recently, she has worked on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Life In Pieces, Fam, and New Girl.
She was among the first to break her silence about Mendel’s death. She told the media that her husband passed away of natural causes on Sunday night at their Studio City home.
Posted by Juel Bestrop on Monday, May 30, 2016
Mendel is also survived by his two children with Bestrop, Jesse and Jacob.
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Mendel Came from an Equestrian Family
The producer is also survived by his parents, Rita and Jack, and siblings, including a brother, David, and a sister, Amy Leibowitz.
His mother’s business, Carousel Tack Shoppe, shared a tribute to Mendel on its social media page.
The Carousel Tack Shoppe family is deeply saddened about the sudden passing of Rita’s oldest son, Mike Mendel. We ask…
Posted by Carousel Tack Shoppe on Monday, September 23, 2019
Rita Mendel had moved to Indian Springs, Alabama with her family and three horses in the late ‘80s. The former competitive equestrian transformed her passion for horses and animals in general into an equestrian business in Indian Springs.
She set up Carousel Tack Shoppe, which provided all the riding needs for locals to take up English horse-riding. Rita herself is the official saddle-fitter.
She also established Special Equestrians, a therapeutic riding program for people with special needs.
Jack Mendel worked at International Paper Co. and Rust Engineering until 2002.
According to J. Michael Mendel’s obituary, a funeral service has been planned for September 24, which would have been his 55th birthday.
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