In 1984, he moved into prime time network programming as Executive Producer of the ABC special, The Fourth Wise Man. This was the first time that a Catholic priest and production company had collaborated with a commercial network to produce a prime time movie dealing with spiritual values.

After a trip to the famine-stricken areas of Africa in 1980 with actor John Amos, Kieser testified before the House Subcommittee on Africa. Returning to Africa in 1981 and 1984 at the invitation of Catholic Relief Services, he soon became a voice for the poor and hungry on American television.

In 1986, Kieser and his Paulist Pictures again collaborated with ABC as executive producer on a prime time movie of the week, We Are The Children, starring Ted Danson and Ally Sheedy, filmed on location in Kenya, Africa. It aired on ABC in March 1987.

In July of 1991, Kieser's autobiography, “Hollywood Priest,” was released by Doubleday to very favorable reviews.

Among the publications for which Kieser wrote are Time Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and America. Over the years, Father Kieser taught courses in philosophy at UCLA

and in theology at Mount St. Mary’s College. Kieser appeared on various television programs, including: 60 Minutes, The CBS Evening News, CBS Morning News, The Today Show, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Phil Donahue, Entertainment Tonight, Hour Magazine, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Mike Douglas Show.

In 1988, Kieser produced his first feature film, Romero. It focuses on the last four years of the life of the late Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador who went from a mouse to a tiger defending the human rights of his people. Written by John Sacret Young, it stars Raul Julia as Romero.

In 1995, Kieser produced his second feature, Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story, which was written by John Wells, and starred Martin Sheen and Moira Kelly.

In 1990, Father Kieser was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from La Salle University. In 1998, he was also awarded an honorary doctor in humane letters from the Catholic University of America.

Father Kieser passed away on September 16, 2000, in the midst of doing God’s work as always.