Frank von Zerneck and Robert M. Sertner, together von Zerneck/Sertner Films, have emerged as one of the leading independent suppliers of long-form television. They have been associated in several configurations since 1983, individually and as partners, and they have been involved in the production of more than 100 movies for television. von Zerneck/Sertner Films enjoys a reputation of delivering consistently high-rated television with much sought-after talent including actors, directors and writers.

The company is headed by Executive Producers Frank von Zerneck and Robert M. Sertner, who formed von Zerneck/Sertner Films in 1987. A few years later, the Company broadened its market base to include original product for basic cable by signing on as consultants to Ted Turner and Scott Sassa, which assisted them with the formation of the fledgling Turner Network Television (TNT). von Zerneck/Sertner Films went on to become a significant supplier to TNT and also served as the series Executive Producer of that network's multiple Emmy winning Native American Series of original television films. It has since expanded its output to include not only all of the networks, but also all of the primary cable channels.

von Zerneck/Sertner Films has produced movies starring some of the biggest names in entertainment, including: Alec Baldwin, Kathy Bates, Pierce Brosnan, Courtney Cox, Kirk Douglas, Kelsey Grammar, Charlton Heston, Juliette Lewis, Shirley MacLane, Liza Minelli, and Brad Pitt, among many others. In addition to having films that are well received critically, von Zerneck/Sertner's productions consistently receive high ratings, and are generally ranked in the top 25 percent of all motion pictures made for television broadcast in any season. The company has been responsible for at least one of the top 20 rated long-form films, broadcast on network television, for each season since the late 1970's.

Von Zerneck/Sertner Films enjoys outstanding publishing relationships with best-selling authors such as Robin Cook, Sidney Sheldon, Jackie Collins, Gore Vidal and Robert James Waller. The company also has an ongoing relationship with note-worthy director, Wes Craven, to produce a series of films for ABC under the banner "House of Fear".

In addition to their work in television, the pair are responsible for two theatrical feature films, both of which enjoyed competition in the Sundance Film Festival: LIVING IN OBLIVION (distributed by Sony Classics), written and directed by Tom DiCillo and starring Steve Buscemi, James Le Gros, Dermot Mulroney, Kathleen Keener and Danielle von Zerneck; and GOD'S LONELY MAN, written and directed by Frank von Zerneck, Jr. starring Michael Wyle, Heather McComb, Justine Bateman and Paul Dooley.

Some of the company’s recent television films include the critically acclaimed MURDER LIVE! (NBC), starring Peter Horton, Marg Helgenberger, and David Morse, and directed by Roger Spottiswoode; HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART (ABC), starring Grammy Award winner LeAnn Rimes and Bernadette Peters; and CADILLAC JACK (CBS), starring husband and wife Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black in their acting debut together.

The company produced a series of five highly-rated Robin Cook thrillers for NBC which included INVASION, a four-hour miniseries starring Luke Perry. In that same year it also produced NO ONE WOULD TELL (NBC), which dealt openly and honestly with teenage dating abuse and starred Fred Savage and Candace Cameron in one of ¹⁹⁹6's highest rated telefilms, and TERROR IN THE FAMILY (FOX), the first in an acclaimed series of films for Hallmark Entertainment, which starred Joanna Kerns and Dan Lauria.

von Zerneck/Sertner films is particularly proud of CRAZY HORSE (TNT), the fifth installment of the massive Native American Series for TNT, starring Michael Greyeyes, Wes Studi, Peter Horton and Ned Beatty and written by Pulitzer Prize winner, Robert Schenkkan; THE COURT MARTIAL OF JACKIE ROBINSON (TNT), starring Andre Braugher, Daniel Stern, Ruby Dee and Bruce Dern; TAKE ME HOME AGAIN (NBC), starring Kirk Douglas and Craig T. Nelson; and Ernest Thompson's THE WEST SIDE WALTZ (CBS), starring Shirley MacLane, Liza Minnelli and Kathy Bates - three Academy Award winning actresses.

In addition, von Zerneck/Sertner Films produced TORNADO! (FOX), which broke all rating records for the FOX network; THE OTHER WOMAN (CBS), which starred Jill Eikenberry, Laura Leighton and Lloyd Bridges and won a Humanitas Award; THE CORPSE HAD A FAMILIAR FACE (CBS), which starred the late Elizabeth Montgomery as the prize-winning journalist Edna Buchanan; and THE BROKEN CHAIN (TNT), which starred Pierce Brosnan in the premiere installment of Ted Turner's impressive Native American Series.

The company is also known for many commercially successful productions, including the mini-series JACKIE COLLINS' LADY BOSS starring Kim Delaney and Jack Scalia; THE BIG ONE: THE GREAT LOS ANGELES EARTHQUAKE (NBC), starring Joanna Kerns,

Dan Lauria, Ed Begley, Jr., and Richard Masur; MENU FOR MURDER (CBS), starring Julia Duffy, Joan Van Ark, Morgan Fairchild, Marla Gibbs, Ed Marinaro and Cindy Williams; SEDUCED AND BETRAYED (NBC), starring Susan Lucci and David Charvet; and DEADLY INVASION (FOX), starring Robert Hays.

Among the many other highly successful projects which von Zerneck and Sertner are proud of: TOO YOUNG TO DIE?, starring Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis; GORE VIDAL'S BILLY THE KID, starring Val Kilmer and Wilford Brimley; the GE Theater docudrama TO HEAL A NATION about the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and starring Eric Roberts; and the mini-series QUEENIE, based on the best-selling novel by Michael Korda and starring Kirk Douglas.

Over the years, Frank von Zerneck and Robert Sertner have produced some of television's most successful films, enjoying both critical and commercial success. As an independent production company, von Zerneck/Sertner Films is second to none, and it looks forward to continuing its reputation well into the next century.  

Frank von Zerneck - During a career in entertainment that has spanned more than 25 years, Frank von Zerneck has been responsible for theatrical motion pictures, several Broadway plays and numerous highly rated television movies. von Zerneck's many credits as a producer include the Emmy-nominated mini-series DRESS GRAY, written by Gore Vidal and starring Alec Baldwin; and QUEENIE, starring Kirk Douglas and Mia Sara. He has produced two notable docudramas about the Olympics: 21 HOURS AT MUNICH, starring William Holden and focusing on the Arab/Israeli conflict at the 1972 Olympics, and MIRACLE ON ICE, dramatizing the triumphant win of the US Olympic team at Lake Placid. von Zerneck is the recipient of multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award nominations. He has also received several prestigious Christopher Awards, Certificates of Excellence from the National Film Board of Review, is in the International Television Movie Awards Hall of Fame and was named the 1995 American Film Institute Producer of the Year.

Robert M. Sertner - Robert M. Sertner began his show business career in the mailroom of Dick Clark Productions. He later moved to Filmways Television and worked on a pilot for NBC called WHACKED OUT, starring Desi Arnaz Jr. and a very young Dana Carvey. The turning point of his career came when he met another dynamic independent producer - Frank von Zerneck - for the making of the television film PORTRAIT OF A STRIPPER, starring Leslie Ann Warren. After a brief stint with Orion Television, Sertner re-teamed with von Zerneck to form von Zerneck/Sertner Films. His numerous credits include: TOO YOUNG TO DIE?, GORE VIDAL'S BILLY THE KID, ROBIN COOK'S VIRUS, THE BIG ONE: THE GREAT LOS ANGELES EARTHQUAKE, and TAKE ME HOME AGAIN. Sertner is involved with many non-profit boards, including AIDS Project Los Angeles, and has been an active fundraiser for the Democratic national Committee. Together with von Zerneck, he has produced more than one hundred highly rated television movies.