---
name: "Steven Levitan"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/steven-levitan"
fi1m_id: "steven-levitan"
imdb_id: "nm0506160"
tmdb_id: 1215785
wikidata_id: "Q542414"
roles: ["Writer","Producer","Director"]
born: "6 April 1962"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 90
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-07T12:10:15.544658+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Steven Levitan

## Identity

Steven Levitan

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/steven-levitan
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** steven-levitan
- **IMDb ID:** nm0506160
- **TMDB ID:** 1215785
- **Wikidata ID:** Q542414
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Levitan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q542414, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506160/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1215785

Writer and producer. Born 6 April 1962 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Producer, Director
- **Born:** 6 April 1962, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 1992–present
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 1 directing, 2 writing, 1 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Jeff Melman](https://film.one/person/jeff-melman.md), [Alan Myerson](https://film.one/person/alan-myerson.md), [Alex Gregory](https://film.one/person/alex-gregory.md), [Carol Leifer](https://film.one/person/carol-leifer.md), [Christopher Lloyd](https://film.one/person/christopher-lloyd-1205496.md), [Dan O'Shannon](https://film.one/person/dan-oshannon.md), [Jack Burditt](https://film.one/person/jack-burditt.md), [James Burrows](https://film.one/person/james-burrows.md)
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 3 Emmys (3 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 90, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 90 (2), 2000s 77 (1), 2020s 78 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Levitan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q542414, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506160/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1215785

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The Larry Sanders Show*](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) (91)
- **Hulu:** [*Frasier*](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md) (88)
- **Disney+:** [*Modern Family*](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md) (77)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Steven Levitan

> Steven Levitan makes busy ensemble comedies feel welcoming without giving up on sharp jokes. We rate the early *Modern Family* highly, but its later seasons show his weakness for letting familiar routines outlast their usefulness.

In *Modern Family* (2009), a character can address the camera while the episode keeps three households in play. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd use that arrangement to let the family members explain themselves, then tie their stories together within a half-hour. At its best, the writing makes this crowded structure easy to follow and gives the actors plenty to do. His strengths are clearest here, where broad comedy has distinct characters and close family ties to keep it in check.

His earlier writing credits include *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992) and *Frasier* (1993), two comedies we recommend with little hesitation. The former makes the effort of keeping a needy chat-show host happy painfully funny; the latter depends on precisely written misunderstandings and patient actors. The timing matters as much as the line. We would not hand Levitan sole credit for Garry Shandling’s performance, or for Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce’s timing. On *Modern Family*, he is also a co-creator and director, so there is more of his work to judge.

The first three seasons make the strongest case for him. We were surprised by how attached we became to the family: moving between the three households lets the programme give each of them attention without exhausting any one story. Ty Burrell’s Phil Dunphy is a particular pleasure, and the cast as a whole is almost without a weak link. Levitan’s habit of drawing on family life helps explain the warmth, while the direct-to-camera passages give those different perspectives space within a busy half-hour. The family feeling works because there are still proper jokes.

Eleven seasons expose the limit of that approach. After the early run, *Modern Family* mostly repeats its jokes, and the familiarity stops being much of a pleasure. With *Reboot* (2022), Levitan returned to series creation with a comedy about bringing back a 1990s sitcom. Start with the first three seasons of *Modern Family*; there is no obligation to make it a long-term arrangement.

## Biography

Steven Levitan is an American television writer, producer and director. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in journalism in 1984 and worked as a news reporter and anchor before moving into advertising and then television writing in Hollywood from 1989.

He wrote episodes for series including *Wings* (1990–1995) and *Frasier* (1993–2004), for which he received an Emmy Award as co-executive producer in 1996 and a Humanitas Prize for the episode "Breaking the Ice". Levitan created *Just Shoot Me!* (1997–2003) and co-created *Modern Family* (2009–2020) with Christopher Lloyd, earning multiple Emmys for the latter. His other credits include *The Larry Sanders Show*, *The Critic* and *Reboot* (2022).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Directed (1)

- *Modern Family* (2009), Fi1m 77, Executive Producer, Writer, Teleplay, Director, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md)

### Wrote (2) — the average rests on these

- *Frasier* (1993), Fi1m 88, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), Fi1m 91, Producer, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)

### Produced (1)

- *Nobody Wants This* (2024), Fi1m 78, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/nobody-wants-this.md)

## Complete filmography (18)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Nobody Wants This* (2024), series, Executive Producer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/nobody-wants-this.md)
- *Reboot* (2022), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Creator
- *#blackAF* (2020), series, as Steven Levitan
- *LA to Vegas* (2018), series, Producer
- *2 Nuts and a Richard!* (2015), series, Creator
- *Modern Family* (2009), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Teleplay, Creator — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/modern-family.md)
- *Back to You* (2007), series, Producer, Writer, Teleplay, Creator
- *Stacked* (2005), series, Director, Writer, Creator
- *Oliver Beene* (2003), series, Writer
- *Greg the Bunny* (2002), series, Writer, Creator
- *Yes, Dear* (2000), series, Director
- *Stark Raving Mad* (1999), series, Producer, Writer, Director, Creator
- *Just Shoot Me!* (1997), series, Producer, Writer, Director, Story, Creator
- *Men Behaving Badly* (1996), series, Writer
- *The Critic* (1994), series, Writer
- *Frasier* (1993), series, Writer, Consulting Producer, Co-Executive Producer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, Writer, Producer — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md)
- *Wings* (1990), series, Writer

## Gallery

- ![Steven Levitan](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-f9091f4c2a36.jpg) Steven Levitan — The Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Steven_Levitan.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-cc47ad0c4e10.jpg) Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%281%29.jpg/1280px-Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%281%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Juile Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-4fbb1e7bf2cf.jpg) Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Juile Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%282%29.jpg/1280px-Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%282%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-f41cb6ea65f3.jpg) Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%283%29.jpg/1280px-Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%283%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Juile Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-c5bbc6a7505d.jpg) Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Juile Bowen and Ed O'Neil 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel New York, NY U (2010) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%284%29.jpg/1280px-Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%284%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Melanie McFarland, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil, 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria  (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/61762/gallery-97f8d04cb901.jpg) Jason Winer, Eric Stonestreet, Sofia Vergara, Steven Levitan, Melanie McFarland, Julie Bowen and Ed O'Neil, 69th Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria  (2010) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Melanie_McFarland%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%281%29.jpg/1280px-Jason_Winer%2C_Eric_Stonestreet%2C_Sofia_Vergara%2C_Steven_Levitan%2C_Melanie_McFarland%2C_Julie_Bowen_and_Ed_O%27Neil%2C_May_2010_%281%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 3 won

- 2012: Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (won), for *Modern Family*
- 2011: Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (won), for *Modern Family*
- 2010: Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (won), for *Modern Family*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/steven-levitan