* Guy Della Cioppa; Produced ‘Red Skelton,’ Early TV

Guy Della Cioppa, 87, early executive with CBS radio and television who helped produce “The Red Skelton Show.” Born in Philadelphia and educated at the Wharton School of Business there, Della Cioppa joined CBS in 1937. During World War II, he served in Army intelligence in Europe, establishing an armed forces radio network in Britain and working in psychological warfare under Col. William S. Paley, the future head of CBS. Della Cioppa received the Bronze Star and France’s Cross of Lorraine for setting up the first radio station on liberated French soil. After the war, he worked as Paley’s assistant at CBS in New York and then moved to the network’s West Coast office in 1948. Three years later, he was named director of network programs for CBS Radio and Television. Working in the early days of television, Della Cioppa received an Emmy for his production efforts on “Playhouse 90.” He left the network to form a production company with comedian Red Skelton, producing Skelton’s television show from 1951 to 1971 and the series “Lost in Space” from 1965 to 1968. Della Cioppa also worked with actor Raymond Burr to develop the television series “Ironside.” On Jan. 17 in Studio City.