Universal Media Studios Enters Development Deal with Peter Traugott

UNIVERSAL CITY: Peter Traugott has signed a three-year overall development deal with Universal Media Studios to produce scripted comedies and dramas.

Most recently the president of television at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Traugott is behind the upcoming drama Ringer, as well as The Sopranos, The Larry Sanders Show, According to Jim, Just Shoot Me, NewsRadio and Real Time with Bill Maher. Prior to Brillstein, he was the director of current programming for Fox Broadcasting, where he worked on King of the Hill, Party of Five, The Simpsons and Married with Children, among others.

Joining him will be Rachel Kaplan (Ringer), who previously worked with Traugott at Brillstein as executive VP of television production. Kaplan was also the head of scripted television at BermanBraun, as well as the VP of drama development for Warner Bros. Television. Her credits include Accidentally on Purpose, Mercy, The O.C., Chuck and Gossip Girl.

"Peter is a widely respected and successful executive and producer with a savvy instinct for exceptional television," said Bob Greenblatt, the chairman of NBC Entertainment. "In my years working with him on various projects at Brillstein Entertainment—and previously when we were colleagues together at FBC—he has demonstrated a deep commitment to developing outstanding television and attracting creative talent. I’m thrilled that he wanted to join our re-emerging studio at NBC."

"It was a very tough decision for me to leave Brillstein; I’ve been here 15 years and they have become like a second family to me," added Traugott. "But the chance to work with Bob and his team at NBC, and be a part of what they’re building, was too good an opportunity to pass up. And I couldn’t be more excited that my colleague, Rachel Kaplan, chose to join me."