Dr. Vivian Horner

TV Producer

Birthday April 1, 1934

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace Canton, OH

DEATH DATE May 12, 2022 (88)

#100,547 Most Popular

About

Founder of the children's cable television network, Nickelodeon, as well as the writer, producer, and co-creator of its first original series, Pinwheel. The preschool series, Pinwheel, was first aired in 1977 on a local cable station in Ohio. The show was a huge success and, with the help of Warner Media, she expanded it nationwide and launched Nickelodeon in 1979. 

Before Fame

Prior to Nickelodeon, she was an educator and director of research on the PBS show, The Electric Company. 

Trivia

She left Nickelodeon in 1983. She co-directed the video game, Space Station Alpha: The Encounter, which came out in 1996. In a 1999 interview, she credited Geraldine Laybourne, who was President of Nickelodeon from 1980 to 1996, for much of Nickelodean's success. 

Family Life

She was born in Canton, Ohio. 

Associated With

Pinwheel producer, Sandy Kavanaugh came up with the name Nickelodeon. In 1994, Nickelodeon launched the popular comedy sketch TV show, All That, starring Amanda BynesKel MitchellKenan ThompsonJamie Lynn Spears, and Dan Schneider