Marian Miner Cook
Athenaeum

A distinctive
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From the Ath to Apple: Storytelling from CMC to Streaming TV

Wed, March 27, 2024
Dinner Program
Morgan Wandell '93

It has been said that we are living in the Golden Age of Television, due in no small part to the explosion of streaming media providers over the past decade. Yet as media outlets multiply, executives have an even greater need to combine business sense with a knack for storytelling. Morgan Wandell ’93, head of international content development for Apple TV+, exemplifies this particular nexus of business and the arts. With a long career in television at Amazon and ABC before his current post at Apple, Wandell has developed a host of acclaimed television series, including Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, in addition to the just-released series Masters of the Air and The New Look, both period dramas from the WWII era. In conversation with Michael Yu ’24, Wandell will discuss his path from economics major and Ath Fellow to studio executive, highlight his most recent work, and provide insights into the future of streaming TV.

Morgan Wandell '93 is an industry-leading television executive and producer who has been responsible for some of the most iconic and genre-defining series of digital streaming and broadcast television, including the Apple TV+ limited series “The Masters of the Air” from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” starring Kurt Russell; Amazon Studios’ Emmy-winning “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” “The Man In the High Castle,” and Golden Globe-winning “Goliath,” starring Billy Bob Thornton.

As Head of International Content Development at Apple TV+, Wandell leads content teams to develop and produce ambitious series around the globe to surprise and delight audiences.  His most recent work includes the upcoming series “The New Look” about the iconic fashion designers Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, the science fiction series “Constellation” from Emmy-winning director Michelle MacClaren and starring Noomi Rapace, Taika Waititi’s adaptation of “Time Bandits,” and Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron’s thriller “Disclaimer,” starring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Klein, and Sasha Barron Cohen.  He also is responsible for the International Emmy-winning series “Tehran” among other shows.

Before joining Apple TV+, Wandell launched international originals for Amazon Studios after Prime Video’s expansion into over 200 countries.  He played a key role in delivering local originals at the highest level of quality, including Indian-set series “Inside Edge,” “The Family Man,” and “Breathe,” the Spanish language thriller “El Candidato,” and the Emmy award-winning co-production “A Very English Scandal,” starring Hugh Grant.  Prior to his international role, Wandell built and lead the drama series team in the early days of Amazon Studios, overseeing development of “Bosch,” “Sneaky Pete,” and “Patriot.”

Wandell also served as a senior executive at ABC Studios, where he led the teams responsible for the development and production of hit series, such as “Desperate Housewives,” Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Ugly Betty,” “Brothers and Sisters,” and “Criminal Minds.”  Under his leadership, ABC studios expanded from one series on the air to over twenty in less than five years.

A native of Champaign, IL, Wandell graduated with honors from Claremont McKenna College with a BA in Economics.

Mr. Wandell's talk is part of the Athenaeum's 40th Anniversary Series, which celebrates the achievements of CMC alumni from across the years and invites them to return home to Claremont.

Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum

Claremont McKenna College
385 E. Eighth Street
Claremont, CA 91711

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