Larry Elliston

Larry Elliston

Larry Elliston is many things: fourth generation native Floridian; grandson of an old-time railroad engineer; former Good Humor man and world traveler. But, above all, Larry Elliston is a storyteller.

Larry’s heart and soul is telling the stories of Florida.

Currently, Larry Elliston has teamed with Tampa’s WUSF-TV to produce and report a signature look at the Sunshine State. Elliston’ contributes "Florida Stories" to the PBS station’s new weekly series Florida Matters.

In 2008, the veteran writer-producer-broadcaster was awarded an Emmy™ for his PBS documentary "The Florida Dream". Narrated by Ed Asner, the one-hour documentary, produced for the Florida Humanities Council and WEDU, traced the transformation of an exotic, sparsely populated peninsula into America’s fourth-largest state.

Hailed as an example of "filmmaking at its best," and a documentary "in a class by itself," "The Florida Dream" masterfully connects how migration, immigration, civil rights, tourism, retirement, technology and politics changed the face of Florida over the last half of the 20th Century.

In dramatic fashion, "The Life and Times of John and Mable Ringling" crafted a uniquely American rags-to-riches story of the iconic circus king and his wife. Written, produced and directed by Larry Elliston, the touching half-hour film, narrated by Hal Holbrook, has been screened daily in the Historic Asolo Theatre at Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art since September, 2006.

For more than 10 years at Tampa’s WTVT, Larry’s timeless and poetic television vignettes captured the spirit of a peninsula some call paradise. In search of natural beauty, wildlife, history, culture, artists, craftsmen, and offbeat characters, Larry Elliston’s Assignment Florida and Down Home Florida series roamed the state from Key West to Pensacola.

In addition to television specials and a four-volume "Down Home Florida" video collection sold at Blockbuster’s, Larry’s stories have captivated millions of viewers around the world by way of CBS News.

After leaving WTVT, Larry Elliston journeyed beyond Florida for a look at the world. Ten incredible years later, the globetrotting Floridian had produced, directed and written more than 200 episodes of the internationally syndicated television series Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures.

In his travels, Larry was surrounded by lions, chased by crocodiles, charged by elephants and bargained with Zulu Chiefs. He crossed paths with Prince William and Prince Harry at midnight on the Kalahari, worked with Australia’s famed "Crocodile Hunter," and narrowly survived a Great White shark encounter off Dyer Island in South Africa. After chronicling diverse cultures in 25 countries and all seven continents, living the adventure of a lifetime, Elliston returned home to his Florida roots.

Working as an independent filmmaker and tv producer-writer, the Tampa born communicator founded Panther Media LLC in 2005.

In recognition of his professional achievements, Larry Elliston has been honored with Emmys™, conservation awards and a host of accolades. His work can be found in the Museum of Radio and Television, New York City to private homes and classrooms around the world.

Larry Elliston is a graduate of the University of South Florida. He is married and lives in South Tampa with his wife Joy and two corgis, Jack and Gigi.