William Graham obit

Director William A. Graham Dies at 87

He helmed "Change of Habit," Elvis Presley's final film, and convinced the rock 'n' roll icon to change his famous hairstyle. 

He was not on the list.

William A. Graham, who directed Elvis Presley‘s final film and the pilots for The Big Valley and Police Story, died Sept. 12 of complications from pneumonia, his wife told the Los Angeles Times. He was 87.

During his career that spanned nearly a half-century, Graham also helmed the movies Honky (1971), Where the Lilies Bloom (1974) and Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991); earned an Emmy nomination for directing the telefilm Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980), with Powers Boothe as the head of the 1970s suicidal cult; and directed three episodes of The X-Files in the 1990s.

A native of New York who served in the Navy and attended Yale, Graham in the mid-1950s began directing segments of TV anthology programs like Kraft Theatre and Omnibus. In the ’60s, he hemmed multiple installments of the series Naked City, Breaking Point, 12 O’Clock High, The F.B.I. and The Fugitive and did the two action-packed False Face episodes on Batman.

His telefilm credits also include Get Christie Love! (1974), starring Teresa Graves; The Man Who Captured Eichmann (1996), with Robert Duvall as Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann; and Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story (1993), with Rob Youngblood as Elvis Presley and Beau Bridges as Col. Tom Parker.

Earlier, Graham directed the real Elvis in Change of Habit (1969), which has the rock ‘n’ roll legend, in his last film, playing a doctor opposite Mary Tyler Moore as a nun.

In a 2005 interview, Graham noted that he talked Presley into changing his famous hairstyle for the film.

“He had a kind of a pompadour in front and his hair was full of grease. And because this was a movie about a doctor working in the ghetto, it just didn’t seem to be quite the right hairstyle,” Graham recalled. “So I talked to him and I said, ‘Elvis, how would you feel about changing your hair a little bit?’ Well, he said he would be open to the idea, and so then we talked about who would do it.

“And I said, ‘Well, do you like the way my hair is done?’ I had a Japanese lady in Beverly Hills who was cutting my hair at the time, and he said, ‘Yes’. So we went to see Jan, and she washed all the grease out of his hair and modified the styling and it was quite a landmark achievement. It was pretty unusual to get that done. And Elvis actually liked it very much.”

Graham’s survivors include his wife Janet, an actress who also co-produced Hackers (1995), starring Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie.

Director

Johnathon Schaech and James Caan in Blood Crime (2002)

Blood Crime

5.3

TV Movie

Director

2002

 

The Fugitive (2000)

The Fugitive

6.9

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

2001

2 episodes

 

Acceptable Risk (2001)

Acceptable Risk

4.6

TV Movie

Director

2001

 

Seven Days (1998)

Seven Days

7.2

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

2000

1 episode

 

Tom Skerritt, Kevin Anderson, and Naomi Watts in The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer (1999)

The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer

6.2

TV Movie

Director

1999

 

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in The X-Files (1993)

The X-Files

8.6

TV Series

Director

1993–1998

3 episodes

 

Sleeping with the Devil (1997)

Sleeping with the Devil

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1997

 

Hilary Swank in Dying to Belong (1997)

Dying to Belong

5.5

TV Movie

Director

1997

 

Robert Duvall and Arliss Howard in The Man Who Captured Eichmann (1996)

The Man Who Captured Eichmann

6.4

TV Movie

Director

1996

 

Terror in the Shadows (1995)

Terror in the Shadows

4.9

TV Movie

Director

1995

 

Courtney Thorne-Smith in Beauty's Revenge (1995)

Beauty's Revenge

5.8

TV Movie

Director

1995

 

Meredith Baxter and Swoosie Kurtz in Betrayed: A Story of Three Women (1995)

Betrayed: A Story of Three Women

5.9

TV Movie

Director

1995

 

Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of a Cheerleader (1994)

Death of a Cheerleader

6.1

TV Movie

Director

1994

 

Beyond Suspicion (1993)

Beyond Suspicion

5.2

TV Movie

Director

1993

 

Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story (1993)

Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story

5.2

TV Movie

Director

1993

 

Susan Dey in Bed of Lies (1992)

Bed of Lies

5.6

TV Movie

Director

1992

 

Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause in Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)

Return to the Blue Lagoon

5.2

Director

1991

 

Montana (1990)

Montana

4.8

TV Movie

Director

1990

 

True Blue (1989)

True Blue

8.7

TV Series

Director

1989

2 episodes

 

Billy the Kid (1989)

Billy the Kid

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1989

 

Morgan Fairchild and Ben Masters in Street of Dreams (1988)

Street of Dreams

4.2

TV Movie

Director

1988

 

Richard Jaeckel, John David Bland, Ken Olandt, and Cec Verrell in Supercarrier (1988)

Supercarrier

5.1

TV Series

Director

1988

1 episode

 

Charlton Heston and Peter Strauss in Proud Men (1987)

Proud Men

6.1

TV Movie

Director

1987

 

Angie Dickinson and Ben Gazzara in Police Story: The Freeway Killings (1987)

Police Story: The Freeway Killings

6.3

TV Movie

Director

1987

 

George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (1986)

George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation

7.6

TV Movie

Director

1986

 

Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash in The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James (1986)

The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James

6.2

TV Movie

Director

1986

 

George C. Scott, Gina Bellman, and Gunnar Möller in Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985)

Mussolini: The Untold Story

7.0

TV Mini Series

Director

1985

3 episodes

 

Gretchen Corbett, Tony O'Dell, Sam Groom, Chris Hebert, and Jonna Lee in Otherworld (1985)

Otherworld

7.2

TV Series

Director

1985

1 episode

 

Secrets of a Married Man (1984)

Secrets of a Married Man

5.4

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

Calendar Girl Murders (1984)

Calendar Girl Murders

4.8

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1984

 

Women of San Quentin (1983)

Women of San Quentin

5.6

TV Movie

Director

1983

 

Michael Beck in The Last Ninja (1983)

The Last Ninja

5.4

TV Movie

Director

1983

 

Mariette Hartley and Paula Prentiss in M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (1983)

M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers

6.0

TV Movie

Director

1983

 

Deadly Encounter (1982)

Deadly Encounter

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1982

 

Harry Tracy: The Last of the Wild Bunch (1982)

Harry Tracy: The Last of the Wild Bunch

6.1

Director

1982

 

Rage! (1980)

Rage!

7.1

TV Movie

Director

1980

 

Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980)

Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones

7.5

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1980

 

Orphan Train (1979)

Orphan Train

7.2

TV Movie

Director

1979

 

Kevin Dobson and Melinda Dillon in Transplant (1979)

Transplant

6.4

TV Movie

Director

1979

 

And I Alone Survived (1978)

And I Alone Survived

5.9

TV Movie

Director

1978

 

LeVar Burton, Norm Cash, Bill Freehan, Al Kaline, Jim Northrup, and Raymond Rolak in One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story (1978)

One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story

6.8

TV Movie

Director

1978

 

Charlayne Woodard in Cindy (1978)

Cindy

7.2

TV Movie

Director

1978

 

Contract on Cherry Street (1977)

Contract on Cherry Street

6.3

TV Movie

Director

1977

 

The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977)

The Amazing Howard Hughes

6.6

TV Movie

Director

1977

 

Minstrel Man (1977)

Minstrel Man

8.5

TV Movie

Director

1977

 

21 Hours at Munich (1976)

21 Hours at Munich

6.3

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1976

 

Sounder, Part 2 (1976)

Sounder, Part 2

5.9

Director

1976

 

Shark Kill (1976)

Shark Kill

4.0

TV Movie

Director

1976

 

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (1975)

Beyond the Bermuda Triangle

4.7

TV Movie

Director

1975

 

Patrick Gorman in Ourstory (1975)

Ourstory

TV Series

Director

1975

1 episode

 

Perilous Voyage (1975)

Perilous Voyage

6.3

TV Movie

Director (as William Graham)

1975

 

Trapped Beneath the Sea (1974)

Trapped Beneath the Sea

6.6

TV Movie

Director (as William Graham)

1974

 

Together Brothers (1974)

Together Brothers

6.4

Director

1974

 

Larry (1974)

Larry

7.4

TV Movie

Director

1974

 

Where the Lilies Bloom (1974)

Where the Lilies Bloom

7.2

Director

1974

 

Get Christie Love! (1974)

Get Christie Love!

5.4

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1974

 

Shirts/Skins (1973)

Shirts/Skins

7.2

TV Movie

Director

1973

 

Polly Bergen, Donna Mills, Paul Burke, Judy Carne, and Barbara Feldon in The Wide World of Mystery (1973)

The Wide World of Mystery

6.8

TV Series

Director

1973

1 episode

 

Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)

Police Story

7.5

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1973

1 episode

 

Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside (1973)

Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside

5.3

TV Movie

Director

1973

 

Birds of Prey (1973)

Birds of Prey

6.6

TV Movie

Director

1973

 

Magic Carpet (1972)

Magic Carpet

7.9

TV Movie

Director

1972

 

Maria Potts and Cliff Potts in Cry for Me Billy (1972)

Cry for Me Billy

5.9

Director

1972

 

James Wainwright in Jigsaw (1972)

Jigsaw

7.5

TV Movie

Director

1972

 

Honky (1971)

Honky

5.0

Director

1971

 

Sally Field in Marriage: Year One (1971)

Marriage: Year One

6.9

TV Movie

Director

1971

 

Thief (1971)

Thief

6.4

TV Movie

Director

1971

 

Congratulations, It's a Boy! (1971)

Congratulations, It's a Boy!

5.6

TV Movie

Director

1971

 

The Intruders (1970)

The Intruders

5.7

TV Movie

Director (as William Graham)

1970

 

CBS Playhouse (1967)

CBS Playhouse

6.9

TV Series

Director

1969

2 episodes

 

Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore in Change of Habit (1969)

Change of Habit

6.0

Director (as William Graham)

1969

 

James Daly in Medical Center (1969)

Medical Center

7.1

TV Series

Director

1969

1 episode

 

Michael Parks in Then Came Bronson (1969)

Then Came Bronson

7.9

TV Series

Director

1969

1 episode

 

Diane Baker and James Franciscus in Trial Run (1969)

Trial Run

6.3

TV Movie

Director

1969

 

The Name of the Game (1968)

The Name of the Game

7.6

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1968

1 episode

 

Submarine X-1 (1968)

Submarine X-1

5.3

Director (as William Graham)

1968

 

Waterhole #3 (1967)

Waterhole #3

6.1

Director (as William Graham)

1967

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

6.9

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1967

1 episode

 

Three for Danger

8.6

TV Movie

Director

1967

 

The Last Generation

7.2

Director

1966

 

The Doomsday Flight (1966)

The Doomsday Flight

6.5

TV Movie

Director (as William Graham)

1966

 

ABC Stage 67 (1966)

ABC Stage 67

7.4

TV Series

Director

1966

1 episode

 

Ben Gazzara in Run for Your Life (1965)

Run for Your Life

7.6

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1966

1 episode

 

Adam West and Burt Ward in Batman (1966)

Batman

7.5

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1966

2 episodes

 

Blue Light (1966)

Blue Light

7.6

TV Series

Director

1966

1 episode

 

David Janssen in The Fugitive (1963)

The Fugitive

8.1

TV Series

Director

1963–1965

7 episodes

 

The F.B.I. (1965)

The F.B.I.

7.4

TV Series

Director

1965

6 episodes

 

Lee Majors, Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, and Richard Long in The Big Valley (1965)

The Big Valley

7.6

TV Series

Director

1965

1 episode

 

12 O'Clock High (1964)

12 O'Clock High

8.1

TV Series

Director

1964–1965

9 episodes

 

Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)

Kraft Suspense Theatre

7.7

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1963–1965

3 episodes

 

Valentine's Day (1964)

Valentine's Day

7.6

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1965

2 episodes

 

Charles Boyer and Susanne Cramer in The Rogues (1964)

The Rogues

8.1

TV Series

Director

1964

1 episode

 

Breaking Point (1963)

Breaking Point

7.4

TV Series

Director

1963–1964

6 episodes

 

Naked City (1958)

Naked City

8.2

TV Series

Director

1961–1963

11 episodes

 

Angela Lansbury and Tuesday Weld in The Eleventh Hour (1962)

The Eleventh Hour

7.7

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1962–1963

5 episodes

 

Dr. Kildare (1961)

Dr. Kildare

7.0

TV Series

Director

1962–1963

4 episodes

 

The Dick Powell Theatre (1961)

The Dick Powell Theatre

7.4

TV Series

Director

1963

1 episode

 

James Drury, Doug McClure, and John McIntire in The Virginian (1962)

The Virginian

7.6

TV Series

Director

1963

1 episode

 

Stoney Burke (1962)

Stoney Burke

7.8

TV Series

Director

1963

2 episodes

 

Nick Adams in Saints and Sinners (1962)

Saints and Sinners

5.7

TV Series

Director

1963

1 episode

 

Sam Benedict (1962)

Sam Benedict

7.9

TV Series

Director (as William Graham, directed by)

1962

1 episode

 

George Maharis and Martin Milner in Route 66 (1960)

Route 66

7.7

TV Series

Director

1961–1962

2 episodes

 

Sebastian Cabot, Anthony George, and Doug McClure in Checkmate (1960)

Checkmate

7.6

TV Series

Director

1962

4 episodes

 

The Drama of Carmen

TV Movie

Director

1962

 

The Bell Telephone Hour (1959)

The Bell Telephone Hour

7.8

TV Series

Director (as William Graham)

1961

1 episode

 

Westinghouse Presents: The Sound of the Sixties

TV Special

Director

1961

 

Great Ghost Tales (1961)

Great Ghost Tales

7.8

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

Omnibus (1952)

Omnibus

8.4

TV Series

co-director

1958–1961

10 episodes

 

The Consul

9.1

TV Movie

Director

1960

 

Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in Berlin

TV Special

Director

1960

 

Project Twenty (1954)

Project Twenty

8.2

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

The DuPont Show of the Month (1957)

The DuPont Show of the Month

7.1

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Special for Women: The Cold Woman

TV Movie

Director

1960

 

The Witness

6.9

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (1960)

Dow Hour of Great Mysteries

7.9

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Walter Matthau in Play of the Week (1959)

Play of the Week

7.3

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Paul Stewart in Deadline (1959)

Deadline

7.6

TV Series

Director (as Billy Graham)

1959–1960

2 episodes

 

Kraft Theatre (1947)

The United States Steel Hour

8.0

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

The Detectives (1959)

The Detectives

7.5

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

John Forsythe, Larry Blyden, and Barbara Rush in Sunday Showcase (1959)

Sunday Showcase

4.4

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Summer of Decision

7.2

TV Movie

Director (as William Graham)

1959

 

Swiss Family Robinson

6.4

TV Movie

Director

1958

 

Kraft Theatre (1947)

Kraft Theatre

8.0

TV Series

Director

1955–1958

31 episodes

 

The Investigator

TV Series

Director

1958

1 episode

 

Suspicion (1957)

Suspicion

8.2

TV Series

Director

1958

1 episode

 

Producer

Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause in Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)

Return to the Blue Lagoon

5.2

producer

1991

 

CBS Playhouse (1967)

CBS Playhouse

6.9

TV Series

producer

1969

1 episode

 

Writer

Walter Matthau in Play of the Week (1959)

Play of the Week

7.3

TV Series

written by

1960

1 episode