The Schitt's Creek community has lost one of their own.
Ben Feigin, who served as executive producer of the Emmy-winning show, died at his home in Los Angeles on Oct. 24 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, United Talent Agency—his former employer and wife Heidi's current employer—confirmed to E! News. He was 47 years old.
Ben is survived by Heidi and their 11-year-old daughter Ellie, and there has been a request for donations in his memory to be made to Stand Up To Cancer.
A key part in the development of Schitt's Creek, Ben took home an Emmy in 2020 after the sitcom was named Outstanding Comedy Series, one of the nine trophies the hit program received that evening as it swept the comedy categories.
"I'm known as the champion of underdogs of the show," he said in an undated interview with his alma mater UC Santa Barbara. "After all the defying odds, I, as the little engine that could, arrived at the Emmys. I was texting the head of Netflix and the CEO of Worldwide Production during the broadcast and they were pulling for us. And as soon as the categories started to get listed, we swept every category, again, never been done!"
In addition to his Emmy win—and additional nomination in 2019—Ben received back-to-back nods in the Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy group at the 2020 and 2021 PGA Awards, winning the honor in the latter year.
As the businessman originally from Silver Spring, MD had explained to UCSB, his connection to the show's stars went back much further than their beloved series.
"I have been the long-time representative of Eugene Levy, and he asked me to manage his son, Daniel Levy, and his daughter, Sarah Levy," he shared at the time. "I have always loved Eugene's films, Waiting for Guffman, and For Your Consideration. For several years, I would create a television vehicle for Eugene."
Revealing that "Daniel always had a skill for screenwriting" and that Eugene "has always been an executionist," Ben shared how he became a part of the Schitt's Creek crew.
"I did something never done before and asked Daniel to write the script as I doubled down on financing to compose the 15-minute pilot to display for networks or exhibitors," Ben continued. "The deals I made with networks and enterprises were predicated on the pilot, which was never seen before."
During his career in Hollywood, Ben, who had founded the company Equation Limited prior to his passing, worked for studios like Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros., also working at major agencies like UTA and William Morris Agency.
"I love helping others achieve their goals, but in seeing them as even greater than they see themselves, I deliver for them at a higher level," he told UCSB of his professional philosophy. "Never look down on anyone unless you are reaching down to help lift them. I love working with others who are young and dedicated to learning. When at the top or when all odds are against them, helping others to their goal is important."