Rod Holcomb obit

Rod Holcomb Dies: ‘ER’ Emmy Winner Who Directed Hundreds Of TV Episodes & Was A Longtime DGA Negotiating Committee Member Was 80

 He was not on the list.

Rod Holcomb, an Emmy-winning ER director who also helmed Battlestar Galactica, The Six Million Dollar Man, China Beach and dozens of other shows and was a longtime Directors Guild negotiating committee menber, has died. He was 80.

The DGA said Holcomb died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness.

“The DGA deeply mourns the passing of Rod Holcomb — a visionary director whose impact on television direction and the creative rights of television directors cannot be overstated,” DGA President Lesli Linka Glatter said in a statement. “Rod’s influence as a pilot director on shows like China Beach and ER among many others, resonated deeply with directors and audiences alike, leaving a cultural imprint. His pioneering use of Steadicam and other techniques brought a more cinematic style to television, helping establish a visual aesthetic that continues today.”

Holcomb helmed hundreds of TV episodes during his 40-year career, scoring four career Emmy noms — three for ER and the other for China Beach — and three DGA noms. His credits range from the 1970s series The Six Million Dollar Man, Battlestar Galactica and BJ and the Bear to such 2010s shows as Elementary, Chicago Fire and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

Along the way, Holcomb directed episodes of popular series including The Mentalist, Rizzoli & Isles, CSI: Miami, Justified, NCIS: Los Angeles, The West Wing, The Equalizer, Scarecrow & Mrs. King, The A-Team, The Greatest American Hero, Hill Street Blues, Fantasy Island and Quincy, M.E.

During his career, Holcomb directed 21 pilots — including ER, whose series finale he also helmed — with 15 going to series.

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Holcomb worked almost exclusively in movies for television such as A Promise to Keep, Silverfox, Finding the Way Home, A Message From Holly, Donato and Daughter, The Prosecutors, The Pentagon Papers, Code Breakers, Bounty Hunters and The Way. He also directed the 1991 feature film Chains of Gold.

Boron on May 28, 1943, in San Francisco, Holcomb got his start in show business with a mailroom job at ABC Studios in Los Angeles.While there he was asked to write a promo for ABC’s Lee Majors hit The Six Million Dollar Man, which was well liked by the network. He was hired as associate producer on the series, leading to his hiring as director for several episodes. After the show ended its four-season run in 1978, Holcomb directed the original Captain America film the following year.

He also was an active member of the Directors Guild, serving on its National Board as an alternate from 2003-13 and the Western Directors Council as a member or alternate from 1995-2012. He was appointed to the DGA Negotiating Committees in 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014 and was the co-chair of the Television Creative Rights Committee.  He was also an active member of the DGA’s Political Action Committee and Movies for Television Committee.

“His legacy stretches far beyond the lens,” Linka Glatter added. “By dedicating himself to Guild service — including serving on seven Negotiating Committees and serving as the co-Chair of the Television Creative Rights Committee — Rod fought to enshrine important protections so television directors could bring their own dynamic visions to life unfettered. We will miss his warm, steadfast presence – and know his caring leadership and directorial mastery will continue inspiring directors for generation.”

 

Director

Gary Sinise, Alana De La Garza, Tyler James Williams, Daniel Henney, and Annie Funke in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016)

Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders

6.1

TV Series

Director

2016–2017

2 episodes

 

Ice (2016)

Ice

6.6

TV Series

Director

2017

1 episode

 

Jeff Hephner in Agent X (2015)

Agent X

6.1

TV Series

Director

2015

1 episode

 

Don Johnson, Amber Valletta, Chace Crawford, and Rebecca Rittenhouse in Blood & Oil (2015)

Blood & Oil

6.6

TV Series

Director

2015

1 episode

 

Simon Baker in The Mentalist (2008)

The Mentalist

8.2

TV Series

Director

2015

1 episode

 

Chicago Fire (2012)

Chicago Fire

8.0

TV Series

Director

2014

1 episode

 

Blair Underwood, Kenneth Choi, Spencer Grammer, Brent Sexton, Pablo Schreiber, and Neal Bledsoe in Ironside (2013)

Ironside

5.4

TV Series

Director

2013

1 episode

 

Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in Elementary (2012)

Elementary

7.9

TV Series

Director

2012

1 episode

 

Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander in Rizzoli & Isles (2010)

Rizzoli & Isles

7.6

TV Series

Director

2011

1 episode

 

Law & Order: LA (2010)

Law & Order: LA

6.7

TV Series

Director

2011

1 episode

 

David Caruso, Eva LaRue, Rex Linn, Omar Benson Miller, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, and Jonathan Togo in CSI: Miami (2002)

CSI: Miami

6.5

TV Series

Director

2010

1 episode

 

Jim Belushi, Jerry O'Connell, and Natalie Cohen in The Defenders (2010)

The Defenders

7.4

TV Series

Director

2010

1 episode

 

The 19th Wife (2010)

The 19th Wife

5.5

TV Movie

Director

2010

 

Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife (2009)

The Good Wife

8.4

TV Series

Director (directed by)

2009–2010

3 episodes

 

Timothy Olyphant in Justified (2010)

Justified

8.6

TV Series

Director

2010

1 episode

 

NCIS: Los Angeles (2009)

NCIS: Los Angeles

6.8

TV Series

Director

2009

1 episode

 

Numb3rs (2005)

Numb3rs

6.9

TV Series

Director

2006–2009

3 episodes

 

George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Director

1994–2009

6 episodes

 

Ken Leung in Lost (2004)

Lost

8.3

TV Series

Director

2005–2009

2 episodes

 

Alex O'Loughlin in Moonlight (2007)

Moonlight

7.6

TV Series

Director

2007

2 episodes

 

James Woods in Shark (2006)

Shark

7.1

TV Series

Director

2006–2007

3 episodes

 

The Way

7.0

TV Movie

Director

2006

 

Bounty Hunters (2005)

Bounty Hunters

5.3

TV Movie

Director

2005

 

Code Breakers (2005)

Code Breakers

6.1

TV Movie

Director

2005

 

Invasion (2005)

Invasion

7.5

TV Series

Director

2005

1 episode

 

Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Dulé Hill, Moira Kelly, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, John Spencer, and Bradley Whitford in The West Wing (1999)

The West Wing

8.9

TV Series

Director

2005

1 episode

 

The Lyon's Den (2003)

The Lyon's Den

6.3

TV Series

Director

2003

1 episode

 

James Spader in The Pentagon Papers (2003)

The Pentagon Papers

6.5

TV Movie

Director

2003

 

The Education of Max Bickford (2001)

The Education of Max Bickford

7.1

TV Series

Director

2001–2002

4 episodes

 

The District (2000)

The District

7.2

TV Series

Director

2001

1 episode

 

Treat Williams in Hopewell (2000)

Hopewell

9.0

TV Movie

Director

2000

 

Songs in Ordinary Time (2000)

Songs in Ordinary Time

5.3

TV Movie

Director

2000

 

Tate Donovan, Kim Raver, and Louis Ferreira in Trinity (1998)

Trinity

6.8

TV Series

Director

1998

1 episode

 

Thanks of a Grateful Nation (1998)

Thanks of a Grateful Nation

6.0

TV Movie

Director

1998

 

The Underworld

6.2

TV Movie

Director

1997

 

Stockard Channing in The Prosecutors (1996)

The Prosecutors

6.1

TV Movie

Director

1996

 

Convict Cowboy (1995)

Convict Cowboy

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1995

 

Jim Belushi in Royce (1994)

Royce

5.0

TV Movie

Director

1994

 

Charles Bronson and Dana Delany in Donato and Daughter (1993)

Donato and Daughter

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1993

 

Robin Givens in Angel Street (1993)

Angel Street

4.7

TV Movie

Director

1993

 

Molly Orr and Lindsay Wagner in A Message from Holly (1992)

A Message from Holly

6.0

TV Movie

Director

1992

 

Angel Street (1992)

Angel Street

5.4

TV Series

Director

1992

2 episodes

 

Finding the Way Home (1991)

Finding the Way Home

6.8

TV Movie

Director

1991

 

James Coburn in Silverfox (1991)

Silverfox

6.3

TV Movie

Director

1991

 

A Promise to Keep (1990)

A Promise to Keep

6.5

TV Movie

Director

1990

 

Chains of Gold (1990)

Chains of Gold

5.1

Director

1990

 

Wolf (1989)

Wolf

6.7

TV Series

Director

1989

3 episodes

 

China Beach (1988)

China Beach

8.2

TV Series

Director

1988

3 episodes

 

The Long Journey Home (1987)

The Long Journey Home

5.7

TV Movie

Director

1987

 

Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Banks, and Ken Wahl in Wiseguy (1987)

Wiseguy

7.8

TV Series

Director

1987

1 episode

 

George Hamilton and Luke Andreas in Spies (1987)

Spies

5.9

TV Series

Director

1987

1 episode

 

Angie Dickinson and Lynda Carter in Stillwatch (1987)

Stillwatch

5.7

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1987

 

Blind Justice (1986)

Blind Justice

5.8

TV Movie

Director

1986

 

Chase (1985)

Chase

5.6

TV Movie

Director

1985

 

Edward Woodward in The Equalizer (1985)

The Equalizer

7.8

TV Series

Director (directed by)

1985

2 episodes

 

Stitches (1985)

Stitches

4.2

Director (as Alan Smithee)

1985

 

Stark (1985)

Stark

5.6

TV Movie

Director (directed by)

1985

 

Two Fathers' Justice (1985)

Two Fathers' Justice

5.2

TV Movie

Director

1985

 

Joan Collins and David Hasselhoff in The Cartier Affair (1984)

The Cartier Affair

4.9

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

TV Series

Director

1983–1984

3 episodes

 

Orson Welles in Scene of the Crime (1984)

Scene of the Crime

6.9

TV Series

Director

1984

1 episode

 

No Man's Land (1984)

No Man's Land

6.3

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

Farrah Fawcett, Beau Bridges, and Harold Gould in The Red-Light Sting (1984)

The Red-Light Sting

5.1

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

George Peppard, Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, and Dwight Schultz in The A-Team (1983)

The A-Team

7.5

TV Series

Director

1983

1 episode

 

Noah Beery Jr., Karen Austin, Perry King, and Ray Vitte in The Quest (1982)

The Quest

7.5

TV Series

Director

1982

6 episodes

 

Rock Hudson and Jack Scalia in The Devlin Connection (1982)

The Devlin Connection

6.9

TV Series

Director

1982

1 episode

 

Moonlight

6.7

TV Movie

Director (as Alan Smithee)

1982

 

Maud Adams, Dennis Franz, Craig T. Nelson, Daniel Hugh Kelly, and Richard Lawson in Chicago Story (1982)

Chicago Story

7.4

TV Series

Director

1982

1 episode

 

The Greatest American Hero (1981)

The Greatest American Hero

7.3

TV Series

Director

1981–1982

6 episodes

 

James Garner in Bret Maverick (1981)

Bret Maverick

7.5

TV Series

Director

1981

1 episode

 

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

Hill Street Blues

8.2

TV Series

Director

1981

1 episode

 

Melissa Sue Anderson in Midnight Offerings (1981)

Midnight Offerings

5.8

TV Movie

Director

1981

 

Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen in Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980)

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

7.5

TV Series

Director

1980

2 episodes

 

Stone (1979)

Stone

6.4

TV Series

Director

1980

1 episode

 

William Jordan, Jim McMullan, Connie Sellecca, and James Wainwright in Beyond Westworld (1980)

Beyond Westworld

4.5

TV Series

Director

1980

1 episode

 

Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island (1977)

Fantasy Island

6.6

TV Series

Director

1980

2 episodes

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy M.E. (1976)

Quincy M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Director

1979–1980

3 episodes

 

Big Shamus, Little Shamus (1979)

Big Shamus, Little Shamus

6.5

TV Series

Director

1979

1 episode

 

Greg Evigan in B.J. and the Bear (1978)

B.J. and the Bear

6.4

TV Series

Director

1979

1 episode

 

Noah Hathaway, Lorne Greene, Dirk Benedict, Richard Hatch, and Laurette Spang in Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Battlestar Galactica

7.2

TV Series

Director

1978–1979

5 episodes

 

Reb Brown in Captain America (1979)

Captain America

3.5

TV Movie

Director

1979

 

Priscilla Barnes, Debra Clinger, and David Spielberg in The American Girls (1978)

The American Girls

5.7

TV Series

Director

1978

2 episodes

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

Director

1977–1978

3 episodes

 

Producer

Alex O'Loughlin in Moonlight (2007)

Moonlight

7.6

TV Series

executive producer

2007–2008

12 episodes

 

James Woods in Shark (2006)

Shark

7.1

TV Series

executive producer

2006–2007

12 episodes

 

Bounty Hunters (2005)

Bounty Hunters

5.3

TV Movie

executive producer

2005

 

The Lyon's Den (2003)

The Lyon's Den

6.3

TV Series

executive producer

2003

1 episode

 

James Spader in The Pentagon Papers (2003)

The Pentagon Papers

6.5

TV Movie

supervising producer

2003

 

The Education of Max Bickford (2001)

The Education of Max Bickford

7.1

TV Series

executive producer

2002

1 episode

 

Stockard Channing in The Prosecutors (1996)

The Prosecutors

6.1

TV Movie

executive producer

1996

 

Finding the Way Home (1991)

Finding the Way Home

6.8

TV Movie

producer

1991

 

James Coburn in Silverfox (1991)

Silverfox

6.3

TV Movie

producer

1991

 

Wolf (1989)

Wolf

6.7

TV Series

executive producer

1989

1 episode

 

China Beach (1988)

China Beach

8.2

TV Series

supervising producer

1988

6 episodes

 

Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Banks, and Ken Wahl in Wiseguy (1987)

Wiseguy

7.8

TV Series

producer

1987

1 episode

 

No Man's Land (1984)

No Man's Land

6.3

TV Movie

producer

1984

 

Mandrake (1979)

Mandrake

6.7

TV Movie

associate producer

1979

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

associate producer

1976–1978

32 episodes

 

Persis Khambatta and Bob Neill in The Man with the Power (1977)

The Man with the Power

6.3

TV Movie

associate producer

1977

 

Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman (1975)

Wonder Woman

7.0

TV Series

associate producer

1976

2 episodes

 

David Janssen in Harry O (1973)

Harry O

7.6

TV Series

associate producer

1976

7 episodes

 

Writer

Wolf (1989)

Wolf

6.7

TV Series

created by (creator)

1989–1990

11 episodes