Mark Obenhaus is an acclaimed documentary producer, director, and writer known for his compelling storytelling across film and television. He wrote and directed Steep, a feature documentary exploring the world of big mountain skiing, which premiered at the Tribeca and Telluride Film Festivals and was released theatrically by Sony Pictures Classics.
Obenhaus has had a long and distinguished association with ABC News, beginning in 1991 as senior producer of the primetime news magazine Day One. He later served as executive producer of Dangerous World: The Kennedy Years, a two-hour special inspired in part by the reporting of Seymour Hersh. His work at ABC includes major projects such as The Century with Peter Jennings, the 12-hour documentary series chronicling the 20th century, and In Search of America, for which he produced two primetime episodes in 2002. He also wrote, directed, and produced several high-profile specials, including The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy (a co-production with the BBC) and UFOs: Seeing Is Believing with Peter Jennings.
Earlier in his career, Obenhaus produced and directed documentaries and commercials for major networks and public television. His work on the PBS series Frontline includes six acclaimed programs—Abortion Clinic and Living Below the Line both earned Emmy Awards. He has also created notable music and performance documentaries such as Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis and Einstein on the Beach for Great Performances, and produced historical films including The World That Moses Built, Mr. Sears Catalog, and JFK: A Time Remembered for American Experience.
In the 1970s, Obenhaus collaborated with Bob Fosse on commercial work, and wrote and directed two independent narrative films. He also contributed to early cinema vérité documentaries for Westinghouse Broadcasting.
His work has been recognized with five national Emmy Awards, the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award, two Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, the Writers Guild of America Award, and numerous other honors.
