Dan Pearson (The Last Don Standing, A Little Piece of Light), producer of I Married A Mobster, has struck a deal with the producer of The Dead Files, Painless Productions, per Deadline. Together they will develop various non-scripted projects based on social justice and organized crime.
Painless Productions was founded by Jim Casey, who worked on The Mickey Mouse Club (created by Hal Adelquist and Walt Disney) early in his career then went on to create the production company. The company has produced shows such as The Holzer Files for the Travel Channel, Most Wanted Sharks for the National Geographic Channel, Hot Properties for HGTV, Homestead Table for the Food Network, and more.
With Dan Pearson and his production company, Dan 4 Entertainment, Painless will produce shows including criminal justice series On The Wrong Side of the Law, which focuses on police brutality and corruption; ensemble docuseries Basketball Moms, which will follow the mothers of famous basketball players; and Up and Out with Keith David, a reality show that helps adults who are still living with their parents. Dan Pearson will work with Casey, Vice President of Development Nicole Reed, and Vice President of Creative Ross Kaiman to produce these projects.
Casey said of Pearson, “Dan has led an interesting and multi-faceted life that has given him unprecedented access into unique worlds, everything from social justice to organized crime. Through this partnership, we’re able to continue to explore and prioritize more diversity in our content” (Deadline). Pearson sees this deal as an opportunity to bring more light to the black experience in America and uplift the voices of minorities. He said, “As Black man in America, oftentimes, our stories are an afterthought; not any longer. We’re excited to partner with Painless Productions to give voice to the voiceless and bring light to the darkness. No matter the topic, we will tell everyone’s story with respect and dignity but most importantly the truth” (RealScreen).
In addition to working with Painless, Pearson is also working with Leonardo DiCaprio’s (Inception, The Revenant) production company, Appian Way, to produce a 1980s mob series for Showtime.