David Atwood, Long-time Director
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We are sad to report that David Atwood passed away peacefully at a hospice facility on August 19, 2026.
We will post more information as we receive it. In the meantime, here are links to interviews and related posts about David. Please share your memories in the comments.
I was devastated to hear of David’s passing. In addition to interacting with him in the WGBH Archives, I played music with him for about 11 years and he was always a kind and generous mentor, introducing me to the world of bluegrass and encouraging me along my journey. He will be sorely missed.
Oh, my. So, so sad. David was a strong ally and for a time a good friend. Very special. We I worked together on several projects including in those in the New Television Workshop (with Fred Barzyk). We had a nice conversation at the Nova reunion a couple of years ago and pledged to get together but that never happened. I’m so sorry to have missed that chance to reconnect. A life lesson.
I find that over the last two days after David’s passing, I have realized how many of my successes were because of working on shows he directed.
My success in many ways was due to his hard work and TLC.
Thank you David!
Also, Bill…I just talked with my younger daughter, Caitlin, and told her the sad news about David and she was really bummed to hear it. She then went on to mention how lovely, wonderful, and caring David was when Sarah (my older daughter), Caitlin, David and I went to spread Peter’s ashes on the rocks of Marblehead. She went on and on about him…the impression he left her with has lasted over 25 years! THAT says a lot about David Atwood!
I am saddened to hear of David’s passing. We spent many hours in the on-line edit suite over the years while we worked together at WGBH.It was at the time when the transfer of numbers from the “off-line” edit to a useable Edit Decision List was manual. David had “the system” and it was as efficient as possible sometimes taking a full day to accomplish. A small piece of trivia is that we never used a 30 frame dissolve. All dissolve rates were different; 24, 32, 28, maybe 36, When I edited with David I truly felt like we were a team.
I also worked with him on video projects outside of GBH and I knew when David was on the shoot that production value would be taken to a higher level. He was always the consummate professional. I also had the good fortune to hear David play the guitar out at a show and in my house.
As I write this I realize that David Atwood inspired me to be more professional in my approach to production. I owe him that debt.
I’m glad that I was able to have had lunch with him in June of last year.
He will be missed.
So sad to hear this. David was a mentor to me when I first started at GBH. He
was lead Camera in Studio A when I was lead camera in Studio B. I learned much from him, and eventually succeeded him as Julia Child’s director. Thanks for the memories, David. Rest in peace my friend.
Oh dear! I saw Dave for lunch around the time of the ‘GBH Reunion in Fall 2018 and again at the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival in Framingham 2019. I vividly remember working with him on Classic Theater in the 70’s — we shot eleven interviews over an insane 4 days in London and came home to edit the series on the first CMX digital system. He was calm in the midst of any production storm and yes, figured out that editing system practically by himself. I admired his politics, too. He will be missed.
One in a million. Thank you David.
I AGREE with you, Bill!! David was a lovely person and I wish I/we didn’t lose touch with him because he was special.
Bill with a more personal note:
David struggled with health and sometimes happiness. We’ve been pretty close for many years. I knew all his romantic partners and hoping to find the one. His inner drive for a happy life and an already successful career seemed fine. His struggles were palpable; making music lifted him up. He worked hard and loved his family. He was a kind and loving person, always embracing challenges to solve using his imagination and profound technical know-how.