[2] Born in New York City, Ed Friendly served with the United States Army in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.

He began his television career in 1949, working for ABC as director of sales before moving to CBS as a contract producer and then, in 1959, to NBC as vice president of special programs.

He received the Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1975 for Little House on the Prairie[4] and in 1978 for Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion,[5] an adaptation of the 1972 children's novel San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion by Marguerite Henry.

He subsequently expanded his racing interests, partnering with his first wife, Natalie, in a large (around 70) stable of horses.

Friendly died in 2007 at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California[2] He was survived by his second wife, Paula, his children, and three granddaughters.