Michael Collyer Passes Away Attorney, Longtime NATAS Fixture

Michael Collyer, an esteemed attorney and a dedicated member and officer of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, died on December 16, 2004. He was 62 years old.

The product of an entertainment family, Collyer was the son of Clayton “Bud” Collyer, who played the title role in the popular 1940s radio serial The Adventures of Superman and achieved television fame as the host of the game shows Beat the Clock and To Tell the Truth. He was also the nephew of actress June Collyer.

An honors graduate of Williams College and the Columbia University School of Law, Collyer was a specialist in entertainment and intellectual property whose 30-plus years as an attorney included work for such clients as Dick Clark Productions, the BBC, Billy Joel, Louis Rukeyser, the Actors Studio and numerous others.

Beyond his abundant professional achievements, Collyer enjoyed a lengthy and productive association with the New York City-based National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. In addition to serving as the organization’s National Chairman, he spent several years on its Legal Committee and Board of the International Council. Collyer was also a member of the Committee on Entertainment Law of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and the New York City Mayor's Advisory Council on Film and Broadcasting.

A recap of Collyer’s career, while impressive, does not do justice to the many lives he touched along the way. For a deeper appreciation of the man and his legacy, please visit the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences website at www.emmyonline.org, where dozens of his friends and colleagues have shared their memories.

A memorial service for Collyer, who is survived by his wife Susan, son Matthew and daughter Sophie, will be held on Saturday, February 5th, from 2:00PM to 4:00PM at The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City at 7 West 55th Street.