Public Television icon Julia Child dies at the age 91

"French Chef" Revolutionized American Cooking

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Donna Hardwick
(617) 338-4455, ext. 129
Donna_Hardwick@aptonline.org

(August 13, 2004 Boston, Mass.) – American Public Television (APT) is greatly saddened to hear about the loss of Julia Child. Public Television's "grande dame" of culinary invention introduced French cuisine to American audiences beginning in 1963 with The French Chef. She has inspired amateur cooks and professional chefs with her culinary skills, easy kitchen spirit and passion for learning. Ms. Child died in her sleep in her California home. She was 91.

Her unmistakable voice and signature sign-off, "Bon Appetit" endeared her to audiences for decades. By the 1960s, she was an established culinary force, thanks to the national success of her first series, The French Chef. She was instrumental in raising the profile of public television, becoming the first public television personality to be nominated for an Emmy (1966).

The French Chef debuted in 1963 and was nationally distributed to local public television stations through American Public Television. Over the last 30 years, APT has offered stations three additional series from Julia including: Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home (first offered in 1999 and in rights through 2005), Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom (first offered in 2002 and in rights through 2005) and Taste of Norway With Julia Child (aired from June 1992 through March 1994).

"We are very proud of our association with Julia, and will miss her greatly. Not only did she teach millions of viewers the wonders and pleasures of cooking, but she was immensely entertaining and wise. She will continue to be an inspiration to people everywhere," says president and CEO Cynthia Fenneman.

"Julia Child was an original in the way she approached life and public television. Always creative, inquisitive and effervescent, Julia was perfectly suited to the new concept of "educational television" when she appeared on the scene in 1963 with The French Chef," says vice president of exchange Chris Funkhouser. "In her inimitable way Julia changed the way Americans viewed continental cuisine, providing a clear path to a broader range of culinary delights, and in so doing was a trailblazer in the genre of how-to programming."

About American Public Television
For 41 years, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation's public television stations. APT has more than 10,000 hours of available programming including Discovering the Real World of Harry Potter, Globe Trekker, Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World, Rick Steves' Europe, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, Ballykissangel, Brian Jacques' Redwall and The Three Tenors Christmas. APT is known for identifying innovative programs and developing creative distribution techniques for producers. In four decades, it has established a tradition of providing public television stations nationwide with program choices that enable them to strengthen and customize their schedules. Press should contact Donna Hardwick at 617-338-4455 ext. 129 or via email to donna_hardwick@APTonline.org. For more information about APT's programs and services, log on to www.APTonline.org.