Deborah Forte

Biography

Deborah Forte is an acclaimed American producer and media executive, best known for her instrumental role in translating numerous popular children's books into successful global film and television franchises. Her career has significantly impacted the landscape of family-friendly entertainment and educational media.

Career at Scholastic Media

Forte's career is most notably defined by her time at Scholastic, the renowned publishing company. She joined Scholastic Productions in 1984 and later became the President of Scholastic Media (and Executive Vice President of Scholastic Inc.). In this leadership role, she was the lead creative and business executive, overseeing all media production and development.

During her tenure, Forte was responsible for creating and producing some of the most successful and enduring children's media properties, many of which originated as book series published by Scholastic. These globally recognized franchises include:

The Magic School Bus (winning multiple Emmys)

Clifford The Big Red Dog

Goosebumps (1995 TV series)

I Spy

WordGirl

Her productions have been highly decorated, collectively earning over 100 industry awards, including multiple Emmys, the Humanitas Prize, and a Webby. Her work has also been cited for its contributions to children's education and society.

Film and Post-Scholastic Work

Forte has an extensive list of feature film credits, often serving as a producer or executive producer for book-to-screen adaptations. Notable film productions include:

The Golden Compass (2007) won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Goosebumps (2015) and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018).

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995) and Tuck Everlasting (2002).

Mortal Engines (2018).

Following her long and successful run at Scholastic, Forte established her own production company, Silvertongue Films. Under this new banner, she continues to develop major film and television projects based on popular book series. A key project in this phase of her career was serving as an executive producer for the critically acclaimed TV adaptation of Philip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials (2019–2022).

Deborah Forte’s legacy is defined by her knack for identifying captivating stories and meticulously developing them into multi-platform media hits that have entertained and educated generations of young audiences.