Harry Bring Dies: ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘The X-Files’ Producer Was 77

Harry Bring, a TV producer who worked on shows including Criminal Minds and The X-Files, died Tuesday at age 77. According to his son, Brad Bring, who announced his death in a Facebook post, Bring had battled cancer for years.

“Today we lost a legend at 77 years young. Harry Bring succumbed to a life full of laughter and hard work, dedication to family and friends and the love he had for Rhonda Leeds-Bring,” Bring’s son wrote. “He fought cancer for years and kicked its ass. That let him enjoy USC, the SF Giants, the Rams, hating on 45 and his grandkids a little longer. He embodied the Fight ON spirit of the Trojans.”

According to Brad, prior to getting his start in the entertainment industry, Bring “was a cut-up in school” and “straightened out in the Army which changed his life.” He would later go on to serve as second assistant director on early ’80s films including Mr. Mom and Strange Brew before the transition to work in TV, according to Deadline. He served as a second assistant director on the series Max Headroom from 1987-1988, and later became first assistant director on series including Northern Exposure, Melrose Place, and The X-Files, which he worked on from 1998-2002.

Bring’s career continued through the 2000s, during which time he became a producer. He notably worked as an executive producer and co-executive producer on CBS’ hit police procedural drama Criminal Minds from 2011 to 2020. Variety reports he worked on 139 episodes as a co-executive producer from 2011 to 2017 and later contributed to 47 episodes as an executive producer from 2017 to the show’s finale in 2020.

Reflecting on his father’s career, Bring’s son said he “loved work.” He added, “If you asked him what his favorite crew was, it was always the one we was working with right now. Max Headroom, Melrose Place, The X-Files, Army Wives and Criminal Minds were his biggest projects.”

“I have never felt a pain so deep and cried so hard in all my life. I take solice in knowing he’s with his mom and dad, his sister and brother and smiling down on us all, pain free and cracking fart jokes. I held his hand until the end,” Brad wrote. “I have 50 years to remember the ways he made me belly laugh and for that I’m grateful.”

Bring’s other credits include the Lifetime drama Army Wives, a series on which he served as an executive producer and co-executive producer across 68 episodes from 2007 to 2010. In 2011, he was a co-executive producer on the Freddy Rodríguez-Eric Close CIA drama Chaos. Bring is also credited with work on Head Cases, The Lyon’s Den, and several others.