Robert Butler (director)

American television and film director (1927–2023)

Robert Butler

Born| (1927-11-16)November 16, 1927

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Died| November 3, 2023(2023-11-03) (aged 95)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Occupation(s)| Film and television director

Robert Stanton Butler (November 16, 1927 – November 3, 2023)[1] was an American film[2] and Emmy Award-winning television director. He is best known for his work in television, where he directed the pilots for a number of series including Star Trek, Hogan's Heroes,  Batman and Hill Street Blues.[3]

## Career

[edit]

Butler graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he majored in English. He was first in an army band, before his career as a stage manager and an assistant before launching his directing career with an episode of Hennesey (starring Jackie Cooper and including a young Ron Howard)[3] and then went on to direct such shows as The Untouchables, Dr. Kildare, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Batman, The Fugitive and The Twilight Zone.

Butler shot pilots for many TV series including the original Star Trek, Shane, Hogan's Heroes, Batman, The Blue Knight, Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele (a show which he also co-created), Moonlighting, Sisters, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Butler also directed episodes for many other shows, including Bonanza, I Spy, Blue Light, The Invaders, Gunsmoke, The Outcasts, Mission: Impossible, Kung Fu, Hawaii Five-O, Columbo: Publish or Perish, Columbo: Double Shock, and Midnight Caller.

Butler directed actor Kurt Russell in four Walt Disney movies, including Guns in the Heather, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and The Barefoot Executive.

Butler won two Emmy Awards for outstanding directing, the first in 1973 for The Blue Knight pilot, and the second in 1981 for his Hill Street Blues premiere.

In 2014, Butler's work was the subject of a career retrospective at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[3]

Butler was honored by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in February 2015.[4]

Robert Butler died in Los Angeles on November 3, 2023, at the age of 95.[5]

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

* Guns in the Heather (1969)
* The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
* The Barefoot Executive (1971)
* Scandalous John (1971)
* Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)
* The Ultimate Thrill (1974)
* Black Bart (1975) (Also producer)
* Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
* Night of the Juggler (1980)
* Underground Aces (1981)
* Up The Creek (1984)
* Turbulence (1997)
* Where Do the Balloons Go? (2009) (Short film)

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Director  | Producer  | Notes

|
|
|
|

1959–1960  | Hennesey | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
1960  | Happy | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1960–1961  | The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Yes  | No  | 5 Episodes
1961  | Bonanza | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Dick Van Dyke Show | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
The Dick Powell Theater | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Gertrude Berg Show | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
Have Gun – Will Travel | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Michael Shayne | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Peter loves Mary | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1961–1962  | The Detectives | Yes  | No  | 5 Episodes
1962  | Follow The Sun | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
The Rifleman | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1962–1963  | Dr. Kildare | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
Stoney Burke | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
The Untouchables | Yes  | No  | 7 Episodes
1963  | Ben Casey | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
The Greatest Show On Earth | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
The Richard Boone Show | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1963–1964  | The Lieutenant | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1963–1965  | The Defenders | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1964  | Arrest and Trial | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Twilight Zone | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1964–1966  | The Fugitive | Yes  | No  | 6 Episodes
1965  | Mister Roberts | Yes  | No  | 5 Episodes
Run For Your Life | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Virginian | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1965–1966  | Hogan's Heroes | Yes  | No  | 5 Episodes
1965–1975  | The Magical World Of Disney | Yes  | No  | 12 Episodes
1966  | Blue Light | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Shane | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
I Spy | Yes  | No  | 4 Episodes
Batman | Yes  | No  | 6 Episodes
Star Trek | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1967  | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Invaders | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
Judd, for the Defense | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
N.Y.P.D. | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1967–1972  | Gunsmoke | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
1967–1981  | Insight | Yes  | Yes  | 4 Episodes
1968  | Cimarron Strip | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
Ironside | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1969  | Mission: Impossible | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
The Outcasts | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
CBS Playhouse | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1969–1970  | Lancer | Yes  | No  | 4 Episodes
1970  | Then Came Bronson | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1972  | Nichols | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1972–1973  | The Waltons | Yes  | No  | 3 Episodes
1973  | Doc Elliot | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Hawaii Five-O | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Kung Fu | Yes  | No  | 4 Episodes
Roll Out | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1973–1974  | Columbo | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1975  | The Blue Knight | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1981  | Hill Street Blues | Yes  | No  | 6 Episodes
1982–1987  | Remington Steele | Yes  | Yes  | Also creator and executive consultant
1985  | Moonlighting | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
Our Family Honor | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode
1987  | Out on a Limb | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1988–1991  | Midnight Caller | Yes  | Executive  | Also executive consultant
1991–1996  | Sisters | Yes  | No
1993  | Sirens | Yes  | No  | 2 Episodes
1993–1994  | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Yes  | Executive  | Also executive consultant
1999  | St. Michael's Crossing | Yes  | Executive  |
2001  | The Division | Yes  | No  | 1 Episode

TV movies

Year  | Title  | Director  | Producer  | Writer

|
|
|
|

1971  | Death Takes a Holiday | Yes  | No  | No
1973  | The Blue Knight | Yes  | No  | No
1974  | McMasters of Sweetwater | Yes  | No  | No
1975  | Strange New World | Yes  | No  | No
1976  | Dark Victory | Yes  | No  | No
James Dean | Yes  | No  | No
Mayday at 40,000 Feet! | Yes  | No  | No
1977  | In the Glitter Palace | Yes  | No  | No
1978  | Lacy and the Mississippi Queen | Yes  | No  | No
A Question of Guilt | Yes  | No  | No
1984  | Concrete Beat | Yes  | No  | No
1986  | Long Time Gone | Yes  | No  | No
1987  | On the Edge | Yes  | Yes  | Yes
1988  | Out of Time | Yes  | Executive  | No
1991  | The Brotherhood | Yes  | No  | No
1994  | White Mile | Yes  | No  | No
1998  | Glory, Glory | Yes  | Executive  | No

Associate director

* Climax! (1956–1958) (4 Episodes)
* Playhouse 90 (1958–1959) (3 Episodes)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Tinoco, Armando (2023-11-11). "Robert Butler Dies: TV Director For 'Batman,' 'Star Trek,' 'Hill Street Blues' & 'Moonlighting' Pilots Was 95". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
2. ^ "Robert Butler". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-07-28.
3. ^ a b c Susan King, "Director Robert Butler put stamp on 'Batman,' other landmark series", Los Angeles Times, February 15, 2014.
4. ^ Variety, February 5, 2015
5. ^ "Robert Butler, Director on Pilots for 'Batman,' 'Star Trek' and 'Hill Street Blues,' Dies at 95". The Hollywood Reporter. November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Robert Butler at IMDb
*   * Robert Butler at Memory Alpha
* Robert Butler at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Robert Butler

Feature|

* Guns in the Heather (1969)
* The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
* The Barefoot Executive (1971)
* Scandalous John (1971)
* Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)
* The Ultimate Thrill (1974)
* Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)
* Night of the Juggler (1980)
* Underground Aces (1981)
* Up the Creek (1984)
* Turbulence (1997)

Television|

* Death Takes a Holiday (1971)
* The Blue Knight (1973)
* Strange New World (1975)
* James Dean (1976)
* Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1976)
* Out of Time (1988)
* White Mile (1994)

Awards for Robert Butler

* v
* t
* e

Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series

1971–2000|

* Daniel Petrie for "Hands of Love" (1971)
* Robert Butler for "Dust Bowl Cousins" (1972)
* Charles S. Dubin for "Knockover" (1973)
* David Friedkin for "Cross Your Heart, Hope to Die" (1974)
* James Cellan Jones for Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1975)
* Glenn Jordan for "Rites of Friendship" (1976)
* John Erman for "Second Hour" (1977)
* Gene Reynolds for "Prisoner" (1978)
* Roger Young for "Cop" (1979)
* Roger Young for "Lou" (1980)
* Robert Butler for "Hill Street Station" (1981)
* David Anspaugh for "Personal Foul" (1982)
* Jeff Bleckner for "Life in the Minors" (1983)
* Thomas Carter for "The Rise and Fall of Paul the Wall" (1984)
* Will Mackenzie for "My Fair David" (1985)
* Will Mackenzie for "Atomic Shakespeare" (1986)
* Marshall Herskovitz for "Pilot" (thirtysomething) (1987)
* Marshall Herskovitz for "Therapy" (1988)
* Eric Laneuville for "I'm in the Nude" (1989)
* Michael Zinberg for "Vietnam" (1990)
* Eric Laneuville for "All God's Children" (1991)
* Rob Thompson for "Cicely" (1992)
* Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot" (NYPD Blue) (1993)
* Charles Haid for "Into That Good Night" (1994)
* Christopher Chulack for "Hell and High Water" (1995)
* Christopher Chulack for "Fear of Flying" (1996)
* Barbara Kopple for "The Documentary" (1997)
* Paris Barclay for "Hearts and Souls" (1998)
* David Chase for "The Sopranos" (1999)
* Thomas Schlamme for "Noël" (2000)

2001–present|

* Alan Ball for "Pilot" (Six Feet Under) (2001)
* John Patterson for "Whitecaps" (2002)
* Chris Misiano for "Twenty Five" (2003)
* Walter Hill for "Deadwood" (2004)
* Michael Apted for "The Stolen Eagle" (2005)
* Jon Cassar for "Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m." (2006)
* Alan Taylor for "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (2007)
* Daniel Attias for "Transitions" (2008)
* Lesli Linka Glatter for "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" (2009)
* Martin Scorsese for "Boardwalk Empire" (2010)
* Patty Jenkins for "Pilot" (The Killing) (2011)
* Rian Johnson for "Fifty-One" (2012)
* Vince Gilligan for "Felina" (2013)
* Lesli Linka Glatter for "From A to B and Back Again" (2014)
* David Nutter for "Mother's Mercy" (2015)
* Miguel Sapochnik for "Battle of the Bastards" (2016)
* Reed Morano for "Offred" (2017)
* Adam McKay for "Celebration" (2018)
* Nicole Kassell for "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice" (2019)
* Lesli Linka Glatter for "Prisoners of War" (2020)
* Mark Mylod for "All the Bells Say" (2021)
* Sam Levinson for "Stand Still Like the Hummingbird" (2022)
* Peter Hoar for "Long, Long Time" (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award – Television

* James Burrows / Robert Butler (2014)
* Joe Pytka (2015)
* Don Mischer (2018)
* Robert A. Fishman (2022)
* David Nutter (2023)

* v
* t
* e

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

1950s|

* Jack Smight for "Eddie" (1959)

1960s|

* Robert Mulligan for The Moon and Sixpence (1960)
* George Schaefer for Macbeth (1961)
* Franklin J. Schaffner for The Defenders (1962)
* Stuart Rosenberg for "The Madman" (1963)
* Tom Gries for "Who Do You Kill?" (1964)
* Paul Bogart for "The 700 Year Old Gang" (1965)
* Sydney Pollack for "The Game" (1966)
* Alex Segal for Death of a Salesman (1967)
* Paul Bogart for "Dear Friends" (1968)
* David Greene for "The People Next Door" (1969)

1970s|

* Paul Bogart for "Shadow Game" (1970)
* Daryl Duke for "The Day the Lion Died" (1971)
* Alexander Singer for "The Invasion of Kevin Ireland" (1972)
* Jerry Thorpe for "An Eye for an Eye" (1973)
* Robert Butler for "Part III" (1974)
* Bill Bain for "A Sudden Storm" (1975)
* David Greene for "Part I: Chapters 1 & 2" (Rich Man, Poor Man) (1976)
* David Greene for "Part 1" (Roots) (1977)
* Marvin J. Chomsky for Holocaust (1978)
* Jackie Cooper for "Pilot" (The White Shadow) (1979)

1980s|

* Roger Young for "Cop" (1980)
* Robert Butler for "Hill Street Station"(1981)
* Harry Harris for "To Soar and Never Falter" (1982)
* Jeff Bleckner for "Life in the Minors" (1983)
* Corey Allen for "Goodbye, Mr. Scripps" (1984)
* Karen Arthur for "Heat" (1985)
* Georg Stanford Brown for "Parting Shots" (1986)
* Gregory Hoblit for "Pilot" (L.A. Law) (1987)
* Mark Tinker for "Weigh In, Way Out" (1988)
* Robert Altman for "The Boiler Room" (1989)

1990s|

* Thomas Carter for "Promises to Keep" / Scott Winant for "The Go-Between" (1990)
* Thomas Carter for "In Confidence" (1991)
* Eric Laneuville for "All God's Children" (1992)
* Barry Levinson for "Gone for Goode" (1993)
* Daniel Sackheim for "Tempest in a C-Cup" (1994)
* Mimi Leder for "Love's Labor Lost" (1995)
* Jeremy Kagan for "Leave of Absence" (1996)
* Mark Tinker for "Where's 'Swaldo?" (1997)
* Mark Tinker for "Pilot" (Brooklyn South) / Paris Barclay for "Lost Israel, Part 2" (1998)
* Paris Barclay for "Hearts and Souls" (1999)

2000s|

* Thomas Schlamme for "Pilot" (The West Wing) (2000)
* Thomas Schlamme for "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen: Part I" & "Part II" (2001)
* Alan Ball for "Pilot" (Six Feet Under) (2002)
* Christopher Misiano for "Twenty Five" (2003)
* Walter Hill for "Deadwood" (2004)
* J. J. Abrams for "Pilot" (Lost) (2005)
* Jon Cassar for "Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m." (2006)
* Alan Taylor for "Kennedy and Heidi" (2007)
* Greg Yaitanes for "House's Head" (2008)
* Rod Holcomb for "And in the End..." (2009)

2010s|

* Steve Shill for "The Getaway" (2010)
* Martin Scorsese for "Boardwalk Empire" (2011)
* Tim Van Patten for "To the Lost" (2012)
* David Fincher for "Chapter 1" (2013)
* Cary Joji Fukunaga for "Who Goes There" (2014)
* David Nutter for "Mother's Mercy" (2015)
* Miguel Sapochnik for "Battle of the Bastards" (2016)
* Reed Morano for "Offred" (2017)
* Stephen Daldry for "Paterfamilias" (2018)
* Jason Bateman for "Reparations" (2019)

2020s|

* Andrij Parekh for "Hunting" (2020)
* Jessica Hobbs for "War" (2021)
* Hwang Dong-hyuk for "Red Light, Green Light" (2022)
* Mark Mylod for "Connor's Wedding" (2023)
* Frederick E. O. Toye for "Crimson Sky" (2024)

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