Brian James Ellis

April 3, 1953 – August 16, 2024

Brian James Ellis, a loving husband, father, friend, and renaissance man, passed peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on August 16, 2024, in Glendale, CA, following a courageous battle with throat cancer.

Born on April 3, 1953, in Cheyenne, WY, Brian was the fourth child of Dr. Frank R. and Gertrude K. Ellis. At the age of one, Brian and his family relocated to Dearborn, MI, where he spent his formative years.

Brian attended the Edison Institute at Greenfield Village Schools for primary school, which ignited his interest in American history and the industry that built the nation.

Before graduating from Dearborn High in 1971, Brian was introduced to filmmaking in his high school English class. He teamed up with a friend for a project, and a decades-long career in film began. He earned his first professional filmmaking check for creating a driver’s training film for Ford Motor Company.  He attended Ohio State University for film school, but having already completed a number of films (and all their available classes), was ahead of his classmates. He transferred to the University of Southern California and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema in 1975.

Brian met the love of his life, Pamela Jeanne Nicodemus, in October 1979, and they were married on May 16, 1981, in Kirkwood, MO, before moving to California and building a life together.

In June of 1980, his resume ended up on the top of the pile when the show Taxi was in need of a 2nd Assistant Director—the rest, as they say, is history. The one episode of Taxi (Going Home, Season 3, Episode 5) led to a career that spanned some of the landmark TV projects of the time. Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Hudson Street, The Winds of War, and The Larry Sanders Show are just a few of the projects that Brian worked on as an Assistant Director or Production Manager and member of the Directors Guild of America.

In 2005, he became a managing partner of All Crew Agency, then sole owner, and enjoyed a 15-year career representing the best in below-the-line production personnel. He cherished the close relationships he formed with clients and producers alike.

Ellis was very active in his community and served on a number of committees. He co-founded the Northwest Glendale Homeowners Association and the Alex Film Society, served as a board member and president of the Glendale Symphony Orchestra Association, was a member of the Alex Regional Theatre Board, Glendale Arts, Glendale’s Design Review Board, and was instrumental in Make Keppel Special, a fundraising group for Mark Keppel Elementary.

He was passionate about supporting World War II veterans, like his father who was a doctor in WWII, through the 70th Infantry Division Association, where he served as President, Scholarship Committee Chair, and Editor of the Trailblazer Newsletter.

In recent years, he dedicated much of his time to laryngectomy support groups and was developing a hands-free pneumatic device to restore speech to those who had lost their voice.

Brian was Mr. Fixit for all who knew and loved him. He always had the right tool for every job—and if not, there was always Home Depot. With an insatiable curiosity for learning, Brian was your go-to man for answers on everything from cars and computers to appliance repair, aerospace, woodworking, and negotiations.

Brian enjoyed camping and taking long road trips with his children, a tradition they upheld each year for the past three years. One of his final joys was sharing the 2024 Total Eclipse with his beloved family. He will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Pam; his son, Derek, of Seattle, WA; his daughter, Alexandra, and her husband, Anthony, of Burbank, CA; and his brothers, Tom of Ann Arbor, MI, and Kevin of Denver, CO. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Gertrude, and his sister, Merrie.

A memorial service to honor Brian’s life will be held on Saturday, September 21st, at 1:00 PM at Calvary Baptist Church (724 S Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502). A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Ellis Family Education Scholarship of the 70th Infantry Division Association, a cause close to Brian’s heart (https://trailblazersww2.org).

1971 DHS Pioneer Yearbook Senior Year picture - Fall 1970

1970 DHS Pioneer Yearbook Junior Year picture - Fall 1969

1969 DHS Pioneer Yearbook Sophomore Year picture - Fall 1968