Kelleher Goes the Write Way By Brandon Hansen ‘08
Tim Kelleher came to Eastern in the mid-1980s with a love for writing – he left knowing exactly what he wanted to do. The result? You’ve probably already seen it on your television or movie screen as the native New Yorker has written, produced and directed several television shows and movies, including his current position as a writer and producer on the CBS show Two and a Half Men. “The toughest part of writing is writing,” Kelleher said. “It’s what sets writers apart from non-writers. I think a lot of people would like to be writers, but the hard part is sitting down and doing the actual writing, particularly when it feels like you don’t have it on a given day. Some days are great and you’re really flowing. Other days, not so much.” Kelleher refers to the Dorothy Parker quote “I hate writing. I love having written,” when referencing the daily grind of writing. However, Kelleher’s passion has yet to be extinguished. He’s written for eight different TV shows and three movies dating back to 1989. Kelleher began his journey at the University of Arizona. After one of his UA professors, David Terwische, took a job at EWU, he urged Kelleher to take a look at the university. “He told me the facilities at EWU were much better than Arizona’s and that, as an undergrad, I would have a lot more opportunity to get my hands on equipment in Cheney,” Kelleher recalls. “At the time, people didn’t have digital cameras and you couldn’t edit video or music on your computer, so access to equipment was at a much higher premium.” The R-TV Department at EWU didn’t disappoint. Even years after his time as a college student and several big gigs later, Kelleher still looks back with fondness. 34
E ASTERN: Fall 2014