24/7 Production, Inc. motion picture and television production company CEO Jack Olesker has a career that spans nearly four decades and has included writing, directing and producing many projects. He was born on Valentine’s Day in Chicago and was educated at Bradley University, majoring in Journalism. He served as an Aerospace Medic, assigned to a helicopter search-and-rescue team in the United States Air Force. His writing career was launched in 1976, when G. P. Putnam’s Sons published his first novel, NO PLACE LIKE HOME. The novel went on to be a best seller. Prior to publication, Sherry Lansing (later to become the longest serving studio head in Hollywood history with Paramount Motion Pictures) purchased the novel’s film rights for MGM. Olesker subsequently moved to Los Angeles to enter the film industry.
In Los Angeles he was a staff writer with Blanc Communications, writing over one hundred commercials. In 1980, Olesker sold his first screenplay, based upon his romance/horror novel, BEYOND FOREVER, to Yale Wexler Productions. His next screenplay, DRIVE-IN, was purchased by Golden Entertainment.
Olesker has written, produced and directed over twelve hundred episodes of television and eighteen movies and published seven novels. Episodes of television series produced and written by Olesker have aired around the world for over twenty-five years. In 1982 he began his career in television, writing for the series THE LITTLES for DIC Entertainment. This led to a staff writing position at DIC. In ensuring years he rose to Senior Story Editor, writing, creating and story-editing such popular television series as THE NEW ADVENTURES OF HE-MAN, CARE BEARS, M.A.S.K., TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, HEATHCLIFF THE CAT, HOT WHEELS and many others. In 1990 he created the original development work for SABAN Entertainment’s internationally successful MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS. He has created television series for Fox Family Channel, The Disney Channel, CBS, NBC, Warner Brothers, Columbia and Universal.
Olesker’s 1989 video KIDS HAVE RIGHTS, TOO! won the AFI Best Children’s Educational Video Award. His instructive articles on writing have appeared in WRITERS’ DIGEST and THE WRITER’S HANDBOOK and he has appeared as a lecturer before numerous writers’ groups, including The American Society of Journalists and Authors. Olesker has worked extensively with major toy manufacturers, including Mattel, Lego, Hasbro, Kenner and many others, developing both original television series and series based upon existing toy lines.
Olesker’s feature film screenplay, NINJA KNIGHTS: WHEN WARRIOR WORLDS COLLIDE, was purchased outright by India-based KEN Creative Studios. Olesker subsequently rose to become president of KEN Creative Studios. As a documentary filmmaker, Olesker has served as Executive Producer, Producer, Director and Co-host for numerous documentaries. He served as Associate Producer for the powerful PBS documentary THE POWER OF 100, based upon the 100 Black Men of America mentoring organization.
Jack Olesker has created, written and produced some of the most recognized and profitable children’s series in the history of television. THE NEW ADVENTURES OF HE-MAN, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and CARE BEARS, SUPER MARIO BROTHERS and HOT WHEELS are but a few of the franchises that Jack has helped turn into household names, achieving broad-based penetration into the global broadcast marketplace.
24/7 CEO Jack Olesker has had eighteen of his movie screenplays purchased by studios and independents, including NO PLACE LIKE HOME, based upon his bestselling novel, which was purchased by MGM. In all, Olesker has written over twelve hundred episodes of produced television, working with all four networks, cable and syndicated television and major studios such as MGM, Disney, Columbia and many others. He wrote and created the original development and series bible for the internationally successful MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS. His capture of the prestigious American Film Institute’s Best Educational Award for his KIDS HAVE RIGHTS, TOO! and his IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO TO DRUGS videos established Olesker and 24/7 Productions as leading providers of pro-social programming that appeals to children, their parents and educators alike. And his heartwarming film, A CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE: FROM A BOOK CALLED WISELY’S TALES (Columbia/TriStar), featuring the voice-over talents of Dean Cain and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, became an instant holiday classic.
Looking back there is little that Jack would change. Going forward, the right project still inspires as much excitement and motivation as when he started his career as a creative talent.
