Amy Hartwick has stepped down as ABC Studios’ head of comedy, Variety has confirmed.
The news of Hartwick’s departure comes on the same day as the studio revealed a significant re-shuffle at the top, which saw studio head Patrick Moran, who hired Hartwick, and business operations executive vice president Howard Davine leave the company, with Jonnie Davis and Josh Sussman moving in to replace them. Hartwick’s departure is believed to be related to the restructure, and there is no word yet on a potential successor.
The shake-up was addressed this morning in an internal memo sent out by Disney TV Studios president Craig Hunegs, in which he acknowledged that “change can be difficult in the short term,” and that “Dana (Walden) and I will do our best to communicate with you often, with transparency and clarity.”
Hartwick had been overseeing comedy development for the studio since June 2011, counting the “Black-ish” franchise among the biggest hits she helped shepherd. The original series is premiering its sixth season this fall, while spinoff “Grown-ish” is two seasons in on Freeform, and prequel series “Mixed-ish” is poised to join the ABC lineup in fall.
Other comedies that Hartwick developed while in the role include “American Housewife,” and the forthcoming Hulu series “Dollface.” Prior to her 2011 move to ABC Studios, Hartwick served as vice president of comedy development for ABC Entertainment and was instrumental in bringing “Modern Family” to the screen. She also oversaw development on “Happy Endings,” “The Middle,” and “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.”
Deadline was the first to report Hartwick’s departure.