TV Land's Hunter dies at 39

TV Land executive Laura Hunter died on October 29 in Stanford, CA, after a year-long bout with cancer. She was 39 years old.

Hunter, who most recently served as senior vice president of programming for TV Land, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2000, shortly after relocating from Los Angeles to New York to assume her responsibilities with TV Land.

Hunter's efforts at TV Land included the development of Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television, a three-part look at the historic role of blacks in front of and behind the camera, which the network will air in February, 2002.

"Laura Hunter's passing leaves a terrible void in our company," said Herb Scannell, president, Nickelodeon, TV Land and TNN, in a prepared statement.

Before joining Nickelodeon, Hunter was an account supervisor at Chiat/Day.

She is survived by her parents, Dr. Lloyd and Mrs. Jan Hunter of Los Angeles, and two sisters, Cynthia Lang of Woodside, CA and Elizabeth Hunter of Los Angeles.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at P.O. Box 650309 Dallas, TX 75265-0309. - Richard Tedesco