MC changed me when I was lost. He was my professor, advisor, confidant and later client. One day in a hallway at NYU Mark gave me an idea about people living with disabilities who back then were excluded from the University’s communication programs. With his encouragement I created HANDICAST, emulating NYU’s beginning and intermediate television production course but for people with physical and mental disabilities. The exact same classes I had taken earlier that year from MC , Red Burns and the great David Sirota but this time for 13 people with varying disability. 
The HANDICAST  staff and students  quickly changed  the culture and thinking of the NYU administration towards  people living with disabilities and their right towards equal education.  During our very first year housed at NYUs  journalism department HANDICAST won a prestigious cable television ACE Award, earned a Federal  C.E.T.A. grants and was invited by Jimmy Carter to present at the President’s Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities in Washington D.C. This happened because of Chernichaw!
Mark’s was instrumental after  our NYU experiences  sharing continued successes as NYC television producer/directors. 
Because of Chernichaw I had a daydream of a career including the formation of Total Television Inc., a full service production facility located at 295 W 4th Street NYC.  Clients including Dick Clark Procuctions, SNL and of course Avon Cosmetics with Mark at their helm. Because of Mark I got to work with EVERYONE from the cast of Seinfeld to The Village People not to mention creating memorable friendships with folks like Frank Sinatra, Art Carney, VP Walter Mondal Thanks Mark you made me!

Oh rats. I am so sorry.  I was a film and television student at NYU 1972-1976 and he was one swell professor/mentor and an all around great guy. He was well loved by all who knew him and I have thought about him often through the years. Dang. 

One quick story from the video lab area near the studio: One afternoon Mark was leaving for the day and Richard Goggin, son of the Professor of Film and Television of the same name and Mark’s TA,   hollered after him with urgency, 
“Hey Mark?!” 
(Mark already out the door on the way down the steps, hollered back)
 “Yeah Rick?!”
(there was clearly a sense of connected expectation)
Rick said, simply, with obvious caring, 
“Take care!” 
Mark hollered back, “Okay Rick, thanks!

Yes, Mark was well loved by his flock. 
Rest In Peace. 




“

Rest In Peace old friend. 

Terrific instructor, wonderful mentor, incredibly supportive human. 

Over the past forty years, whenever I've been in a jam, which is most of the time—like when writing,  or directing, or procrastinating, or wondering why I didn't become a shrink—it's during those moments that I often ask myself: Self, how would Mark deal with it? 

Calmly. With humility. With a sense of humor. And with a willingness to finesse… but not so much that it becomes crazy-making.

I send love to Mark and all those whose lives he sweetened. 

JLS 


Sorry to learn about Mark's passing.   He was a  great  teacher of television-production  at  NYU  when I attended in the  1970's, as well as a great guy to be around.   Please accept my condolences.
Lon Braithwaite

Mark could make you feel like you were the king of the world. 

He believed in me and supported me, imparted great knowledge, and gave me optimism and confidence at a time when I most needed it , during those uncertain years between the ages of 18-21. 

I was one of the lucky ones who got an opportunity to be his teaching assistant, and it still remains as one of the great honors of my life. 

I appreciate that he only saw the good in his students and was a master of constructive criticism. 

He impacted so many of us in such a positive way and set an example for all to emulate. 

He was the ultimate mentor. 

If only there were more Mark Chernichaw’s,  the world would be a much better place. 

My deepest condolences to the family. 

Thank you Mark. You made a real difference. 

 Rest in peace. 

While not yet convinced that my dearest of friends has exited planet earth, I guess it’s about time for me to at least pretend that Mark actually passed away and Pauline, Adam, and Ian’s (plus grandchildren and daughters in law) displays of strength in the wake of devestation was not the fiction of a novel or movie. So for the sake of discussion, let’s say all of the above beautiful  and accurate and obviously heart felt tributes to Mark are actually there and I actually saw Mark and Lisa and Eric and Karen at this kindest and gentlest of men’s funeral and  Andee and I have actually been living through the broken hearts of his absence.  On second thought, in the immortal words of Gilda Radner (with whom Mark and I had the pleasure of spending some time) Never mind. 

Mark was an amazing teacher, and a warm wonderful human being. I was in a number of his NYU classes. I still remember what I learned ! He made the material extremely interesting. I think he may also have been my student advisor? I even remember talking to him about a boyfriend situation! I remember him best, and most clearly, out of all my college professors. It’s a rare teacher who inspires love and feelings of loss, as Mark Chernichaw does with me, today. May his memory be a blessing to all that were lucky enough to know him. 

It saddens me to hear of the passing of a teacher, advisor and friend. Creativity often means vulnerability and it was important to have someone in your corner to cheer you and soften the blows. Mark was that person. My sincere condolences to his family.

Mark was a wonderful professor. He had patience, creativity and knew how to let a student fly to achieve their best. Thank you Mark. 

As a student of Mark at NYU Mark was always kind, understanding ,gentle but yet firm when he needed to be.  A real mensch!  It so saddens me to hear of his passing.  He was  such a gentle soul.  My condolences to his family.  RIP Mark

Mark
You are not gone. I refuse to accept that. You will live on  in all of us. In what we do and think and in our laughter. Thank you for all of your gifts. 
Morris 

Reminiscing with all of you NYU grads who have posted thus far, I can only agree that Mark was a wonderful person, professor and human being. I remember him recognizing my strengths and connecting me with the commercial tv  department at the historic Wells Rich Greene agency. How wonderful that he introduced me to one of the few female producers there who supported me during my internship! I saw some crazy stuff at that time.... didn’t know how crazy it could get until years later when I watched Mad Men!!!
But there was Mark, my professor and mentor, wide eyed about the things that I shared, while talking me through it all so that I could get that all important letter of recommendation! I am grateful for the role he played in my life. To Mark’s family, how fortunate you all are to share his DNA, as he was a gentleman and a scholar!


Aside from my parents - who gave me all - Mark is THE person to whom I can trace back most directly all of the good things that I have in this world. Without his humor, patience, instruction, more patience, and mentoring - there would be no fulfilling career, no comfortable home, no loving wife.
He leaves an awful hole in this world, but a hole surrounded by monuments - the lives and loves he gave to those of us who were blessed to have him as a teacher and a friend.

Mark was a truly special professor and individual!   Not only, as my husband Mark mentioned, was he responsible for us meeting and getting married I also was a teaching assistant  for him at NYU.  Always kind and supportive with a mellifluous voice and a great sense of humor, he would guide us all throughout  our education there. I,too ,have been influenced by his instruction and have gone on to work as a set decorator in film and tv and commercials and am so very grateful for having him as a professor at NYU.  John  Steinbeck said “I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists.  It might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”  Mark shared his mind and spirit with us and we are so very lucky to have had him in this world. 

Mark is directly responsible for my marriage, and my career, both of which continue through today.  I met my wife Lisa while waiting in line for Mark's advisement on registration day in September, 1978.  It took 11 years, but we made it to the alter with Mark and Pauline right there with us.  I was Mark's teaching assistant in 1979-80, and he hired me to be his stage manager on a series called "Road to the White House" .  That resume line got me my first and last job out of college, as stage manager at NBC.  39 years later, that continues.  I remember having long discussions into the night at his desk on the sixth floor of South building, and shall always remember and love him as a teacher and friend.

Mark was a most beloved friend. Harris and Mark were in a band together in high school and cherished friends ever since. Susan met Mark and Pauline  at 19  and we have shared our lives together  over many years. We have been there for each other  in good times and bad. Our friendship with Mark, Pauline and the Chernichaw-Papernik family has been a great blessing . We are so fortunate to have had Mark in our lives and will  cherish his memory forever.

Mark Chernichaw was a very gentle soul. Great listener, sympathetic, had great humor, understanding man. He will be missed.

I’ve missed Mark from the day he left Prudential. He was such a kind, loving and creative soul.   And he was an amazing boss too.  He was always sympathetic to my needs both personal and professional.   May the Lord comfort his family and friends as he comforted so many along the way with his kind words, good humor and wise counsel.    God bless.  

OBITUARY

Mark Chernichaw

March 31, 1946 – December 22, 2018

Gutterman and Musicant Jewish Funeral Directors

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