Mary-Ellis Bunim, a pioneering reality TV producer who co-created MTV's The Real World and other influential unscripted programs, has died of breast cancer in Los Angeles. She was 57. With Jon Murray, her partner in the Bunim-Murray Prods. banner, Bunim produced a number of top reality series, including Fox's recent hit The Simple Life, a Green Acres-esque vehicle featuring socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie and their adventures on an Arkansas farm. Bunim, who died Thursday, helped launch the current wave of reality programming with the 1992 debut of Real World, which focused cameras on a diverse group of seven young adults who agreed to live together and let producers document their daily lives. The series has become a signature franchise for MTV and is now in its 14th season.
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.