The TV shows Battlestar Galactica, Magnum, Tales of the Gold Monkey, and NCIS were all written by experienced American TV producer and screenwriter Donald P. Bellisario.
Out of Donald P. Bellisario’s 10 TV programs, only NCIS on CBS is currently airing and features Pauley Perrette, Mark Harmon, and Sean Murray.
It has aired for seven seasons and counting on US primetime television (16 seasons as of 2018).
His personal life is just as beautiful as his big professional life. Donald has been married four times, and it appears that he has found contentment with Vivienne Bellisario, his fourth wife. Vivienne and Donald, both 63, have been wed for 20 years.
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Vivienne and Donald P. Bellisario have been wed for 20 years
On November 27, 1998, Donald P. Bellisario wed his fourth wife, Vivienne. Before getting married to Donald, Vivienne was already a mother to Chad Murray and Sean Murray.
Chad and Sean were welcomed by Vivienne along with a man by the name of Craig Harland Murray.
After their marriage, Donald looked after their two stepsons. Sean, who portrays Timothy McGee in NCIS: Los Angeles, is a TV actor, and Chad is the show’s producer.
After experiencing his share of ups and downs in his personal life, Donald has finally found peace.
Past Marriages of Donald P. Bellisario
The first spouse of Donald was Margaret Schaffran. 1956 saw their wedding and 1974 saw their divorce.
Joy Bellisario Jenkins, Leslie Bellisario Ingham, David Bellisario, and Julie Bellisario Watson are the four children of Donald and Margaret.
Julie is a producer for NCIS, and David is one for NCIS: Los Angeles.
Donald’s second marriage, to Lynn Halpern, ended in divorce in 1984 after a brief five-year marriage. Their union resulted in the birth of Michael Bellisario, a son, in 1979.
Donald’s TV show JAG features a character that Michael has also played.
Deborah, an actress, had made an appearance in the television program Airwolf. Troian has also made cameo appearances in several of Donald’s plays and TV shows, including Pretty Little Liars.
Currently, Troain is wed to her longtime partner and Suits actor Patrick J. Adams.
Career and Wealth of Donald Bellisario
Albert Jethro Bellisario and Dana Bellisario, an Italian-American couple, were the parents of Donald when he was born in Cokesbury, Pennsylvania.
Donald spent four years (1955–1959) in the U.S. Marine Corps before entering the entertainment business.
Donald worked as a copywriter for advertisements in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1965. Donald co-created the television shows Magnum, Airwolf, Quantum Leap, JAG, and NCIS in the 1980s.
In 1988, Donald wrote and directed the full-length movie Last Rites. In the Season 9 of the JAG episode titled Trojan Horse, it was revealed that Donald had been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
NCIS, which debuted in 2002, saw Donald leave the show in 2007. Donald still holds the position of executive producer on NCIS, though.
Today, Donald is in charge of Belisarius Productions. As of 2022, Donald has amassed a net worth of $550 million via his years of work in the sector.
Awards
The highest distinction bestowed upon a graduate, Donald was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by Penn State in 2001.
The Pennsylvania State University Board of Trusts voted on April 21, 2017, to rename the college of communications as the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
Donald received a Visionary Award at the UCLA Neurosurgery Visionary Ball on October 27, 2016, and the college will now be known as the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
Donald P. Bellisario Biography
In Pennsylvania’s North Charleroi, Donald P. Bellisario was born. He grew up hearing the battle tales of WWII veterans who had returned to the tavern, which his father ran.
Before making the move to Hollywood, he worked in advertising for fifteen years. As the Black Sheep Squadron’s story editor, he made his television debut (1976).
His most well-known works to date include JAG, Quantum Leap, and Magnum, P.I. (1995). Seven of his children—one of whom passed away—along with two stepchildren and eight grandchildren come from his four marriages.
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