Robert Butler obit

Robert Butler Dies: TV Director For ‘Batman,’ ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Hill Street Blues’ & ‘Moonlighting’ Pilots Was 95

 

He was not on the list.

Robert Butler, a television director for the pilot shows for Star Trek, Batman, Hill Street Blues, and Moonlighting, has died. He was 95.

Butler’s family announced that the Emmy award-winning director died on Nov. 3 in Los Angeles.

Graduating from UCLA where he majored in English, Butler started his career in entertainment as an usher at CBS. His first credit as a director would come in 1959 when he directed an episode for the military comedy-drama Hennesey which starred Jackie Cooper and Abby Dalton.

Over the years, Butler was sought out to direct pilots for shows like Hogan’s Heroes (1965), the original Star Trek (1966), Batman (1966), the first mini-series on television The Blue Knight (1973), Hill Street Blues (1978), Moonlighting (1985), Sisters (1991) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993).

Butler won two Emmy Awards, the first one for The Blue Knight pilot in 1973 and the second one in 1981 for Hill Street Blues. In 2015 he was honored by the Directors Guild of America with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction.

Other television shows that Butler directed included The Twilight Zone (1964), The Fugitive (1964), Mister Roberts (1965), The Magical World of Disney (1965), I Spy (1966), The Invaders (1967), Judd, for the Defense (1967), N.Y.P.D. (1967), Gunsmoke (1967), Insight (1967), Cimarron Strip (1968), Mission: Impossible (1969), Lancer (1969), The Waltons (1972), Columbo (1973) and The Division (2001), just to name a few.

Butler also directed films and television films like Disney’s Guns in the Heather (1969), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) and The Barefoot Executive (1971). Other credits included the television movie for The Blue Knight (1973), Strange New World (1975), James Dean (1976), Out of Time (1988), White Mile (1994), and Turbulence (1997), just to name a few.

“Few directors have changed the face of television as much as Bob did—his impact on the medium is truly immeasurable and this loss to our Guild is deeply felt,” DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement. “At ease in any genre, Bob’s pilots established the look and feel of several seminal series including Hogan’s Heroes, Batman and Star Trek. His groundbreaking work on Hill Street Blues brought to life the grit and reality of an urban precinct by coupling his unique visual style with evocative performances he coaxed from an incomparable cast, forever changing the trajectory and style of episodic procedurals. It was for his unparalleled influence in television that the Guild selected Bob for our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Television Direction in 2015.”

The statement continued, “Despite a demanding career, Bob passionately served at the highest levels of Guild leadership for more than 30 years, advocating for the creative rights of members on the Western Directors Council and as a National Board member, including two terms as 5th Vice President. As a trustee for the Directors Guild Foundation for more than 35 years, Bob ensured that DGA members had access to emergency financial support at critical moments in their careers.  For all his extraordinary service to the Guild and its membership, in 2001 Bob was honored with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award.  Bob’s legacy will live on in the memories of the many directors he influenced and mentored, and the countless viewers who laughed and cheered along with his exceptional work. Our deepest condolences to his family and the many Directors and Directorial team members who knew and loved him.”

Director

Where Do the Balloons Go?

Short

Director

2009

 

The Division (2001)

The Division

6.6

TV Series

Director

2001

1 episode

 

St. Michael's Crossing

4.1

TV Series

Director

1999

 

Glory, Glory

7.2

TV Movie

Director

1998

 

Turbulence (1997)

Turbulence

4.9

Director

1997

 

White Mile (1994)

White Mile

5.8

TV Movie

Director

1994

 

Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

6.7

TV Series

Director

1993

2 episodes

 

Sirens (1993)

Sirens

6.8

TV Series

Director

1993

2 episodes

 

Sela Ward, Swoosie Kurtz, Patricia Kalember, and Sheila Kelley in Sisters (1991)

Sisters

7.6

TV Series

Director

1991

2 episodes

 

The Brotherhood

4.5

TV Movie

Director

1991

 

Gary Cole and Wendy Kilbourne in Midnight Caller (1988)

Midnight Caller

7.7

TV Series

Director

1988

1 episode

 

Bruce Abbott in Out of Time (1988)

Out of Time

4.5

TV Movie

Director

1988

 

On the Edge

TV Movie

Director

1987

 

Out on a Limb (1987)

Out on a Limb

7.2

TV Mini Series

Director

1987

2 episodes

 

Long Time Gone (1986)

Long Time Gone

6.2

TV Movie

Director

1986

 

Our Family Honor (1985)

Our Family Honor

6.3

TV Series

Director

1985

1 episode

 

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting (1985)

Moonlighting

7.6

TV Series

Director

1985

1 episode

 

Concrete Beat (1984)

Concrete Beat

5.0

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

Tim Matheson, Jennifer Runyon, Stephen Furst, and Dan Monahan in Up the Creek (1984)

Up the Creek

5.5

Director

1984

 

Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist in Remington Steele (1982)

Remington Steele

7.3

TV Series

Director

1982–1983

5 episodes

 

Robert Clohessy, Michael Warren, and Bruce Weitz in Hill Street Blues (1981)

Hill Street Blues

8.2

TV Series

Director

1981

6 episodes

 

Insight (1960)

Insight

7.6

TV Series

Director

1967–1981

4 episodes

 

Underground Aces (1981)

Underground Aces

4.1

Director

1981

 

Night of the Juggler (1980)

Night of the Juggler

6.5

Director (directed by)

1980

 

Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978)

Hot Lead and Cold Feet

6.0

Director

1978

 

Kathleen Lloyd in Lacy and the Mississippi Queen (1978)

Lacy and the Mississippi Queen

5.8

TV Movie

Director

1978

 

Tuesday Weld in A Question of Guilt (1978)

A Question of Guilt

7.0

TV Movie

Director

1978

 

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

In the Glitter Palace

6.0

TV Movie

Director

1977

 

Mayday at 40, 000 Feet! (1976)

Mayday at 40, 000 Feet!

5.5

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1976

 

James Dean (1976)

James Dean

6.0

TV Movie

Director

1976

 

Anthony Hopkins and Elizabeth Montgomery in Dark Victory (1976)

Dark Victory

6.7

TV Movie

Director

1976

 

The Blue Knight (1975)

The Blue Knight

6.9

TV Series

Director

1975

1 episode

 

The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

Director

1965–1975

12 episodes

 

Strange New World (1975)

Strange New World

5.2

TV Movie

Director

1975

 

Louis Gossett Jr. in Black Bart (1975)

Black Bart

3.7

TV Movie

Director

1975

 

Britt Ekland in The Ultimate Thrill (1974)

The Ultimate Thrill

5.9

Director

1974

 

McMasters of Sweetwater

TV Movie

Director

1974

 

Peter Falk in Columbo (1971)

Columbo

8.3

TV Series

Director

1973–1974

2 episodes

 

The Waltons (1972)

The Waltons

7.6

TV Series

Director

1972–1973

3 episodes

 

William Holden in The Blue Knight (1973)

The Blue Knight

7.1

TV Movie

Director

1973

 

Stu Gilliam and Hilly Hicks in Roll Out (1973)

Roll Out

7.4

TV Series

Director

1973

1 episode

 

Kung Fu (1972)

Kung Fu

7.6

TV Series

Director

1973

4 episodes

 

Doc Elliot (1973)

Doc Elliot

7.1

TV Series

Director

1973

1 episode

 

Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

Director

1973

1 episode

 

James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, and Dennis Weaver in Gunsmoke (1955)

Gunsmoke

8.1

TV Series

Director

1967–1972

3 episodes

 

Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

6.2

Director

1972

 

Nichols (1971)

Nichols

7.8

TV Series

Director

1972

1 episode

 

Death Takes a Holiday (1971)

Death Takes a Holiday

7.2

TV Movie

Director

1971

 

Brian Keith, Michele Carey, and Rick Lenz in Scandalous John (1971)

Scandalous John

5.8

Director

1971

 

Kurt Russell, Heather North, and Raffles in The Barefoot Executive (1971)

The Barefoot Executive

5.9

Director

1971

 

Lancer (1968)

Lancer

7.1

TV Series

Director

1969–1970

4 episodes

 

Michael Parks in Then Came Bronson (1969)

Then Came Bronson

8.0

TV Series

Director

1970

1 episode

 

Kurt Russell, Cesar Romero, Alexander Clarke, Joe Flynn, Alan Hewitt, Debbie Paine, William Schallert, and Frank Welker in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

5.9

Director (directed by)

1969

 

Guns in the Heather (1969)

Guns in the Heather

6.2

Director

1969

 

Don Murray and Otis Young in The Outcasts (1968)

The Outcasts

7.3

TV Series

Director

1969

1 episode

 

CBS Playhouse (1967)

CBS Playhouse

6.7

TV Series

Director

1969

1 episode

 

Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Peter Graves, Peter Lupus, and Greg Morris in Mission: Impossible (1966)

Mission: Impossible

7.9

TV Series

Director

1969

1 episode

 

The Felony Squad (1966)

The Felony Squad

7.6

TV Series

Director

1966–1968

3 episodes

 

Stuart Whitman in Cimarron Strip (1967)

Cimarron Strip

7.1

TV Series

Director

1968

2 episodes

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

6.9

TV Series

Director

1968

1 episode

 

Carl Betz and Stephen Young in Judd for the Defense (1967)

Judd for the Defense

7.8

TV Series

Director

1967

2 episodes

 

N.Y.P.D. (1967)

N.Y.P.D.

7.4

TV Series

Director

1967

2 episodes

 

The Invaders (1967)

The Invaders

8.0

TV Series

Director

1967

3 episodes

 

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

7.6

TV Series

Director

1967

1 episode

 

Bill Cosby and Robert Culp in I Spy (1965)

I Spy

7.2

TV Series

Director

1966

4 episodes

 

Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

Star Trek

8.4

TV Series

Director

1966

3 episodes

 

Shane (1966)

Shane

7.2

TV Series

Director

1966

1 episode

 

Blue Light (1966)

Blue Light

7.5

TV Series

Director

1966

1 episode

 

Batman (1966)

Batman

7.5

TV Series

Director

1966

6 episodes

 

David Janssen in The Fugitive (1963)

The Fugitive

8.1

TV Series

Director

1964–1966

6 episodes

 

John Banner, Robert Clary, Bob Crane, Richard Dawson, Ivan Dixon, Larry Hovis, and Werner Klemperer in Hogan's Heroes (1965)

Hogan's Heroes

7.8

TV Series

Director

1965–1966

5 episodes

 

Barrie Chase and Roger Smith in the "Unwelcome Aboard" episode of "Mister Roberts."  (1966)

Mister Roberts

7.4

TV Series

Director

1965

4 episodes

 

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

The Virginian

7.6

TV Series

Director

1965

1 episode

 

Ben Gazzara in Run for Your Life (1965)

Run for Your Life

7.6

TV Series

Director

1965

1 episode

 

Robert Reed and E.G. Marshall in The Defenders (1961)

The Defenders

8.1

TV Series

Director

1963–1965

2 episodes

 

Rod Serling in The Twilight Zone (1959)

The Twilight Zone

9.1

TV Series

Director

1964

2 episodes

 

Ben Gazzara and Chuck Connors in Arrest and Trial (1963)

Arrest and Trial

7.7

TV Series

Director

1964

1 episode

 

Gary Lockwood in The Lieutenant (1963)

The Lieutenant

8.4

TV Series

Director

1963–1964

2 episodes

 

Espionage (1963)

Espionage

7.8

TV Series

Director

1964

1 episode

 

Ben Casey (1961)

Ben Casey

7.1

TV Series

Director

1963

3 episodes

 

Jack Palance, Tuesday Weld, and Russ Tamblyn in The Greatest Show on Earth (1963)

The Greatest Show on Earth

7.8

TV Series

Director

1963

2 episodes

 

The Richard Boone Show (1963)

The Richard Boone Show

8.6

TV Series

Director

1963

1 episode

 

Dr. Kildare (1961)

Dr. Kildare

7.0

TV Series

Director

1962–1963

2 episodes

 

Abel Fernandez, Nicholas Georgiade, Paul Picerni, and Robert Stack in The Untouchables (1959)

The Untouchables

8.0

TV Series

Director

1962–1963

7 episodes

 

Stoney Burke (1962)

Stoney Burke

7.9

TV Series

Director

1962–1963

2 episodes

 

The Detectives (1959)

The Detectives

7.5

TV Series

Director

1961–1962

5 episodes

 

Tuesday Weld and Barry Coe in Follow the Sun (1961)

Follow the Sun

7.3

TV Series

Director

1962

3 episodes

 

The only authorized DVD edition of all episodes in  Season One.

The Rifleman

8.3

TV Series

Director

1962

1 episode

 

Gertrude Berg and Cedric Hardwicke in The Gertrude Berg Show (1961)

The Gertrude Berg Show

7.5

TV Series

Director

1961

2 episodes

 

The Dick Powell Theatre (1961)

The Dick Powell Theatre

7.4

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)

The Dick Van Dyke Show

8.4

TV Series

Director

1961

2 episodes

 

Bonanza (1959)

Bonanza

7.3

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

Richard Denning in Michael Shayne (1960)

Michael Shayne

7.6

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

Have Gun - Will Travel (1957)

Have Gun - Will Travel

8.4

TV Series

Director

1961

1 episode

 

Peter Loves Mary (1960)

Peter Loves Mary

6.0

TV Series

Director

1961

2 episodes

 

The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959)

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

7.7

TV Series

Director

1960–1961

5 episodes

 

Happy (1960)

Happy

6.6

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Bob Denver and Dwayne Hickman in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959)

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

7.7

TV Series

Director

1960

1 episode

 

Hennesey (1959)

Hennesey

8.0

TV Series

Director

1959–1960

3 episodes

 

Writer

On the Edge

TV Movie

Writer

1987

 

Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist in Remington Steele (1982)

Remington Steele

7.3

TV Series

created by

creator

1982–1987

94 episodes