Edward T. Feldmann
"He is still that nice, big, lovable guy from Saugerties," so said Joan Keefe , when she nominated Eddie Feldmann for SUNY Ulster's Alumni Hall of Fame. Keefe, herself an alumna of SUNY Ulster and a resident of Saugerties, describes Feldmann as "...warm and unassuming...and very comfortable with his roots..." in Saugerties.
Eddie Feldmann, a 1976 graduate of Ulster with an A.A.S. Degree in Criminal Justice, is currently the Co-Executive Producer and the Head Writer for the DENNIS MILLER LIVE television show on HBO.
During his highly successful career in television, Feldmann has garnered five Emmy Awards, two Writer's Guild Awards, and a Cable Ace Award. His work has been seen on such programs as The Larry Sanders Show, Law and Order, Married with Children, The MTV Awards Show, and The Presidential State of the Union Address.
Joan Keefe believes that Feldmann gets much of his inspiration for his writing from his "...growing up years in Saugerties and the town characters he remembers." Although she is a great admirer of his dry wit today, she says, "This wasn't really something he was known for when he was growing up and working in his family's delicatessen."
Eddie's educational experiences at SUNY Ulster and later at SUNY Oswego, where he earned a baccalaureate degree in Criminal Justice, certainly did not seem like preparation for a career as a comedy writer. But after graduation from SUNY Oswego, he took a position working with delinquent youth, and in the process, became interested in the theater. He began his career in the entertainment field as a stand-up comedian, but soon moved on to his work as a comedy writer.
In addition to the awards that he has received in his chosen field, he has also received local awards, having been given the keys to his native Village of Saugerties and the Pride of Ulster County Award. Eddie is the son of County Legislator Joan Feldmann, and the grandson of a very proud 92-year old grandmother Helen Keeley.
