Rod Holcomb

American television director and producer (1943–2024)

Rod Holcomb

Holcomb in 2003

Born| (1943-05-28)May 28, 1943

San Francisco, California, U.S.

Died| January 24, 2024(2024-01-24) (aged 80)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Occupation(s)| Television director and producer

Rod Holcomb (May 28, 1943 – January 24, 2024) was an American television director and producer, best known for directing the pilot and finale of ER.

Holcomb directed episodes of numerous television series, including Quincy, M.E., The Six Million Dollar Man, Battlestar Galactica, Fantasy Island, The A-Team, The District, Lost, Invasion, Shark, China Beach, Wiseguy, The Equalizer, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Devlin Connection, The Greatest American Hero, Hill Street Blues, The West Wing, and Numb3rs.[citation needed]

## Life and career[edit]

In 1979, Holcomb directed the television film Captain America.[1] In 1994, he directed pilot episode of ER, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and won a Directors Guild of America Award.[2] In 1996, he directed the episode "Last Call" and was nominated for another Primetime Emmy.[3] He returned to the show in 2009 to direct its final episode and received a Primetime Emmy for doing so.[2]

In 1997, Holcomb was announced as the director of a Showtime miniseries titled Dying for Our Country.[4] It aired the next year under the title Thanks of a Grateful Nation.[5] In 2001, he directed the pilot episode of The Education of Max Bickford, and served as executive producer for the overall show.[6]

In 2004, Holcomb served as chair of the Directors Guild of America's television creative rights committee.[7]

Holcomb died on January 24, 2024, at the age of 80.[8]

### Directing style[edit]

On his role as a guest director, Holcomb stated:

> I generally go in with a clear understanding that the actors have a responsibility to the series [...] They own those roles. They own those characters. My responsibility is to help them become the best actors they can be within those parameters. You’re trying to continue the prosperity and success of that series as well as being an artist.[9]

### Unreleased works[edit]

In 1997, Holcomb was announced as the director of an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's novel A Fall of Moondust.[10] In 1999, he was hired to direct a WWII drama pilot titled Skylark.[11]

## Filmography[edit]

### Film[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

1991  | Chains of Gold | Director  | German theatrical release  | [12]

### Television[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

1979  | Captain America | Director  | Television film  | [1]
1993  | Donato and Daughter | Director  | Television film  | [13]
1994  | ER | Director  | Episode: "24 Hours"  | [2]
1994  | Royce | Director  | Television film  | [14]
1995  | Convict Cowboy | Director  | Television film  | [15]
1996  | ER | Director  | Episode: "Last Call"  | [3]
1998  | Thanks of a Grateful Nation | Director  | Miniseries  | [16]
2000  | Hopewell | Director/Executive Producer (Showrunner)  | Television film  | [17]
2001  | The Education of Max Bickford | Director  | Episode: "Pilot"  | [6]
2001–2002  | The Education of Max Bickford | Executive producer  |  | [18]
2003  | The Lyon's Den | Executive producer  |  | [19]
2003  | The Pentagon Papers | Director  | Television film  | [20]
2005  | Code Breakers | Director  | Television film  | [21]
2006–2008  | Shark | Executive producer  |  | [22]
2007  | Moonlight | Director  | Episode: "No Such Thing as Vampires"  | [23]
2007–2008  | Moonlight  | Executive producer  |  | [24]
2009  | Lost | Director  | Episode: "Jughead"  | [25]
2009  | ER | Director  | Episode: "And in the End..."  | [2]
2010  | The 19th Wife | Director  | Television film  | [26]

## Awards and nominations[edit]

Year  | Award  | Category  | Work  | Result  | Ref

|
|
|
|
|

1988  | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series  | China Beach | Nominated  | [27]
1994  | Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film  | ER episode "24 Hours"  | Won  | [2]
1995  | Primetime Emmy Awards  | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing a Drama  | ER episode "24 Hours"  | Nominated  | [28]
1997  | Primetime Emmy Awards  | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series  | ER episode "Last Call"  | Nominated  | [29]
2004  | Directors Guild of America Awards  | Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film  | The Pentagon Papers | Nominated  | [30]
2004  | The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors Honors Awards  | Directing  |  | Nominated  | [31]
2009  | Primetime Emmy Awards  | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series  | ER episode "And in the End..."  | Won  | [32]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Captain America (1979)". BFI. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
2. ^ a b c d e "Emmys: A final hurrah for "ER"". Variety. September 22, 2009. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
3. ^ a b Richmond, Ray (July 25, 1997). "HBO bests Big 3 in Emmy noms". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
4. ^ Richmond, Ray (October 6, 1997). "Bogdanovich, Badham set for Showtime pix". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
5. ^ Richmond, Ray (May 27, 1998). "Thanks of a Grateful Nation". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
6. ^ a b Speier, Michael (September 18, 2001). "The Education of Max Bickford". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
7. ^ McNary, Dave (February 5, 2004). "Guild targets global goals". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
8. ^ "Rod Holcomb, Emmy-Winning 'ER' and 'Lost' Director, Dies at 80". The Wrap. January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
9. ^ Saval, Malina (August 17, 2009). "Guest directors, vet actors". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
10. ^ Busch, Anita M. (January 9, 1997). "Three exex rise at the Bubble Factory". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
11. ^ Hontz, Jenny (February 19, 1999). "ABC orders reality, comedy pilots". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
12. ^ McLean, Thomas J. (June 8, 2012). "Dariusz Wolski: Bringing 3D to the table". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
13. ^ Loynd, Ray (September 20, 1993). "Cbs Tuesday Movie Donato and Daughter". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
14. ^ Voros, Drew (April 4, 1994). "Royce". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
15. ^ McCarthy, John P. (July 13, 1995). "Convict Cowboy". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
16. ^ Richmond, Ray (May 25, 1998). "Thanks of a Grateful Nation". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
17. ^ Adalian, Josef (March 30, 2000). "Treat Williams, Richter ink for net pilot roles". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
18. ^ Adalian, Josef (October 26, 2001). "Inside move: 'Max' showrunners on sidelines". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
19. ^ Johnson, Debra (June 11, 2003). "Five entering 'Lyon's Den'". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
20. ^ Schneider, Michael (July 25, 2002). "FX cabler files Spader for 'Pentagon Papers'". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
21. ^ Lowry, Brian (December 8, 2005). "Codebreakers". Variety. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
22. ^ Schneider, Michael (October 23, 2006). "Swimming with 'Shark'". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
23. ^ "CBS pickups". Variety. January 30, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
24. ^ "What's new in primetime". Variety. May 20, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
25. ^ ""Lost": Episode 3, "Jughead"". Variety. January 29, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
26. ^ Lowry, Brian (September 19, 2010). "The 19th Wife". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
27. ^ "Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1988". Television Academy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
28. ^ "Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1995". Television Academy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
29. ^ "Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1997". Television Academy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
30. ^ McNary, Dave (January 8, 2004). "Diverse pix mix for DGA telepic noms". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
31. ^ Morfoot, Addie (January 8, 2004). "Caucus announces award nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
32. ^ "Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 2009". Television Academy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.

## External links[edit]

* Rod Holcomb at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Rod Holcomb

* Captain America (1979)
* Midnight Offerings (1981)
* The Red-Light Sting (1984)
* No Man's Land (1984)
* The Cartier Affair (1984)
* Two Fathers' Justice (1985)
* Stitches (1985)
* Blind Justice (1986)
* The Long Journey Home (1987)
* Chains of Gold (1991)
* Donato and Daughter (1993)
* Royce (1994)
* Thanks of a Grateful Nation (1998)
* Songs in Ordinary Time (2000)
* The Pentagon Papers (2003)
* Code Breakers (2005)
* The 19th Wife (2010)

* v
* t
* e

Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Movies for Television and Limited Series

1971–2000|

* Buzz Kulik for Brian's Song (1971)
* Lamont Johnson for That Certain Summer (1972)
* Joseph Sargent for The Marcus-Nelson Murders (1973)
* John Korty for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
* Sam O'Steen for Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975)
* Marvin J. Chomsky for Inside the Third Reich (1982)
* Edward Zwick for Special Bulletin (1983)
* Daniel Petrie for The Dollmaker (1984)
* John Erman for An Early Frost (1985)
* Lee Grant for Nobody's Child (1986)
* Jud Taylor for Foxfire (1987)
* Lamont Johnson for Lincoln (1988)
* Dan Curtis for War and Remembrance: "Parts VIII-XII: The Final Chapter" (1989)
* Roger Young for Murder in Mississippi (1990)
* Stephen Gyllenhaal for Paris Trout (1991)
* Ron Lagomarsino for Picket Fences: "Pilot" (1992)
* Michael Ritchie for The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993)
* Rod Holcomb for ER: "Pilot" (1994)
* Mick Jackson for Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995)
* Betty Thomas for The Late Shift (1996)
* John Herzfeld for Don King: Only in America (1997)
* Michael Cristofer for Gia (1998)
* Mick Jackson for Tuesdays with Morrie (1999)
* Jeff Bleckner for The Beach Boys: An American Family (2000)

2001–present|

* Frank Pierson for Conspiracy (2001)
* Mick Jackson for Live from Baghdad (2002)
* Mike Nichols for Angels in America (2003)
* Joseph Sargent for Something the Lord Made (2004)
* Joseph Sargent for Warm Springs / George C. Wolfe for Lackawanna Blues (2005)
* Walter Hill for Broken Trail (2006)
* Yves Simoneau for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007)
* Jay Roach for Recount (2008)
* Ross Katz for Taking Chance (2009)
* Mick Jackson for Temple Grandin (2010)
* Jon Cassar for The Kennedys (2011)
* Jay Roach for Game Change (2012)
* Steven Soderbergh for Behind the Candelabra (2013)
* Lisa Cholodenko for Olive Kitteridge (2014)
* Dee Rees for Bessie (2015)
* Steven Zaillian for The Night Of: "The Beach" (2016)
* Jean-Marc Vallée for Big Little Lies (2017)
* Ben Stiller for Escape at Dannemora (2018)
* Johan Renck for Chernobyl (2019)
* Scott Frank for The Queen's Gambit (2020)
* Barry Jenkins for The Underground Railroad (2021)
* Helen Shaver for Station Eleven: "Who's There?" (2022)
* Sarah Adina Smith for Lessons in Chemistry: "Her and Him" (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)

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