David Wolper, producer of 'Roots' miniseries, dead at 82

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - David L. Wolper, a producer whose landmark TV miniseries "Roots" engrossed the nation - and whose 1986 extravaganza celebrating the Statue of Liberty centennial gripped the metropolitan area - has died at 82.

Wolper died in his Beverly Hills home Tuesday while watching television with his wife, Gloria, said spokesman Dale Olson. He died of congestive heart disease and complications of Parkinson's, Olson said.

Wolper's work as a TV producer was his best-known accomplishment, particularly "Roots," based on the bestseller by Alex Haley. The ABC series, a saga of an American family descended from an African slave, was seen in whole or part by 130 million people - more than half the country - when it ran for eight nights in 1977.

But during his lengthy career, Wolper also demonstrated his showman instincts as a major event producer, with the Statue of Liberty centennial and the 1984 Olympic Games ceremonies in Los Angeles.

He was a consummate salesman and also an advocate for filmmakers, said Mel Stuart, a veteran feature director and documentarian who worked with Wolper for two decades.

"There was an excitement. Anything was possible because Dave could enable it. He was a dreamer who could make dreams come true," said Stuart, who directed "The Making of the President" documentaries and 1971's "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," among other Wolper-produced films.

Before becoming a titan in the miniseries genre, Wolper had a series of highly successful TV documentaries, including the Emmy-winning "The Making of the President 1960." He also produced the National Geographic special "The World of Jacques-Yves Cousteau," which opened up the ocean depths for TV viewers.

Always game for something new, Wolper branched out into sitcom hits "Welcome Back, Kotter" and "Chico and the Man," and films including the Oscar-winning "L.A. Confidential."