Harvey Laidman obit

Harvey Laidman, Director on ‘The Waltons’ and ‘Matlock,’ Dies at 82 

He also handled episodes of ‘Eight Is Enough,’ ‘Knots Landing,’ ‘Magnum, P.I.,’ ‘7th Heaven’ and many other shows.

 He was not on the list.

Harvey Laidman, a veteran TV director who helmed multiple episodes of such series as The Waltons, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, the original Matlock and 7th Heaven, has died. He was 82.

Laidman died of cancer on Jan. 3 in a hospice facility in Simi Valley, his son, Dan Laidman, told The Hollywood Reporter.

During his three-decade-plus career, he also directed installments of The Blue Knight, Family, Hawaii Five-O, Hunter, Kojak, Eight Is Enough, The Incredible Hulk, Lou Grant, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest, Airwolf, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., Jake and the Fatman, Silk Stalkings and JAG.

Laidman served as assistant director and unit production manager on the second and third seasons of CBS’ The Waltons from 1973-75, then advanced to the director’s chair to call the shots on 11 episodes of the beloved period drama from 1975-81.

He also helmed 10 episodes of CBS’ Scarecrow and Mrs. King from 1985-87; 33 episodes of NBC/ABC’s Matlock from 1988-94; and 16 episodes of The WB’s 7th Heaven, his final credit, from 1996-2004.

Harvey Samuel Laidman was born in Cleveland on Feb. 22, 1942. His mother, Sarah, was a librarian and his father, Albert, an electrical contractor.

Laidman spent three summers as a member of The Kenley Players, a stock theater company based in Warren, Ohio, and studied electrical engineering at Kent State before transferring to USC, where he earned a degree in cinema in 1964.

He then worked for three years at Los Angeles station KTTV before being accepted into the DGA’s Producer Training program.

Laidman got his start in Hollywood at Universal as an A.D. on such films as Airport (1970), Red Sky at Morning (1971) — starring future Waltons star Richard Thomas — and Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) and worked on the NBC series The Bold Ones: The New Doctors in 1972-73.

He segued to Lorimar Productions, where he was a unit production manager and A.D. before landing his first directing assignment on the 1975 third-season Waltons episode “The Woman.”

He also helmed the network telefilms Steel Cowboy in 1978, Chicago Story in 1981 and The Boy Who Loved Trolls in 1984.

Laidman went back to school to get a doctorate in education and taught science and, from 2011 until last year, film directing at Cal State Northridge. He also was an active member of the amateur radio community.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife, Susan; his grandchildren, Mira and Talia; and his sister, Laura.

A service to honor his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday at Mount Sinai Hollywood Hills. Donations in his memory can be made to the dog rescue group Wags and Walks, “reflecting Harvey’s love for Rosie, Alice and Kernel, the best pups around.”

Director

Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell, Barry Watson, David Gallagher, Catherine Hicks, Mackenzie Rosman, and Happy in 7th Heaven (1996)

7th Heaven

5.3

TV Series

Director

1996–2004

16 episodes

 

Catherine Bell, David James Elliott, and Tracey Needham in JAG (1995)

JAG

6.7

TV Series

Director

2002

2 episodes

 

Rue McClanahan, Gregory Harrison, Orlando Brown, Christopher Khayman Lee, Chyler Leigh, and Jamie Williams in Safe Harbor (1999)

Safe Harbor

7.6

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1999

2 episodes

 

Mortal Kombat: Conquest (1998)

Mortal Kombat: Conquest

6.2

TV Series

Director

1999

1 episode

 

Rescue 77 (1999)

Rescue 77

6.6

TV Series

Director

1999

1 episode

 

Robyn Lively, Jamie Luner, and Shannon Sturges in Savannah (1996)

Savannah

7.2

TV Series

Director

1997

1 episode

 

Mitzi Kapture and Rob Estes in Silk Stalkings (1991)

Silk Stalkings

6.5

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1994–1995

3 episodes

 

Andy Griffith in Matlock (1986)

Matlock

7.1

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1988–1994

33 episodes

 

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

Quantum Leap

8.2

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1993

1 episode

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1987–1988

4 episodes

 

Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson in Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.1

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1985–1987

10 episodes

 

Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. (1980)

Magnum, P.I.

7.5

TV Series

Director

1983–1986

4 episodes

 

David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider (1982)

Knight Rider

6.9

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1983–1986

6 episodes

 

Ernest Borgnine, Jan-Michael Vincent, and Alex Cord in Airwolf (1984)

Airwolf

6.7

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1984–1985

4 episodes

 

Street Hawk (1985)

Street Hawk

6.7

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1985

3 episodes

 

Wildside (1985)

Wildside

7.8

TV Series

Director

1985

3 episodes

 

William H. Macy, Susan Anton, Sam Waterston, Matt Dill, and Richard B. Shull in The Boy Who Loved Trolls (1984)

The Boy Who Loved Trolls

6.1

TV Movie

Director

1984

 

Catherine Bach, Ben Jones, Denver Pyle, John Schneider, and Tom Wopat in The Dukes of Hazzard (1979)

The Dukes of Hazzard

7.1

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1983–1984

3 episodes

 

Yaphet Kotto, Gary Grubbs, Cliff Potts, and Shelley Smith in For Love and Honor (1983)

For Love and Honor

6.5

TV Series

Director

1983

1 episode

 

Tim Matheson and Catherine Hicks in Tucker's Witch (1982)

Tucker's Witch

7.3

TV Series

Director

1983

2 episodes

 

Falcon Crest (1981)

Falcon Crest

6.2

TV Series

Director

1982–1983

2 episodes

 

Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982)

Tales of the Gold Monkey

8.0

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1982–1983

2 episodes

 

River Phoenix, Richard Dean Anderson, Peter Horton, Drake Hogestyn, Terri Treas, and Roger Wilson in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

6.6

TV Series

Director

1982

1 episode

 

Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee, Constance McCashin, John Pleshette, and Ted Shackelford in Knots Landing (1979)

Knots Landing

6.9

TV Series

Director

1981–1982

4 episodes

 

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

Chicago Story

7.2

TV Series

Director

1982

2 episodes

 

ABC Weekend Specials (1977)

ABC Weekend Specials

7.7

TV Series

Director

1978–1982

3 episodes

 

Today's F.B.I. (1981)

Today's F.B.I.

6.9

TV Series

Director

1981–1982

2 episodes

 

Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, Kami Cotler, David W. Harper, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, Ralph Waite, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)

The Waltons

7.6

TV Series

Director

1975–1981

11 episodes

 

Claude Akins, Brian Kerwin, and Mills Watson in The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979)

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo

6.5

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1981

1 episode

 

Chicago Story (1981)

Chicago Story

7.1

TV Movie

Director

1981

 

Bo Svenson in Walking Tall (1981)

Walking Tall

7.0

TV Series

Director

1981

1 episode

 

Edward Asner in Lou Grant (1977)

Lou Grant

7.3

TV Series

Director

1978–1981

2 episodes

 

Joe Don Baker in Eischied (1979)

Eischied

7.6

TV Series

Director

1979

3 episodes

 

Lorenzo Lamas, Marc McClure, Jimmy McNichol, and Michele Tobin in California Fever (1979)

California Fever

7.5

TV Mini Series

Director

1979

1 episode

 

The Lazarus Syndrome (1979)

The Lazarus Syndrome

5.6

TV Series

Director

1979

2 episodes

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1979

2 episodes

 

Flatbush (1979)

Flatbush

5.3

TV Series

Director

1979

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Director

1979

2 episodes

 

Kaz (1978)

Kaz

7.6

TV Series

Director

1978–1979

4 episodes

 

Willie Aames, Betty Buckley, Grant Goodeve, Dianne Kay, Connie Needham, Lani O'Grady, Adam Rich, Susan Richardson, Dick Van Patten, and Laurie Walters in Eight Is Enough (1977)

Eight Is Enough

6.6

TV Series

Director

1977–1978

4 episodes

 

The Paper Chase (1973)

The Paper Chase

8.1

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1978

1 episode

 

Steel Cowboy (1978)

Steel Cowboy

5.3

TV Movie

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1978

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

The Incredible Hulk

7.0

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman)

1978

1 episode

 

Telly Savalas in Kojak (1973)

Kojak

7.1

TV Series

Director

1978

1 episode

 

Hunter (1976)

Hunter

6.5

TV Series

Director

1977

1 episode

 

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

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

Director

1977

2 episodes

 

Meredith Baxter, Kristy McNichol, James Broderick, Gary Frank, and Sada Thompson in Family (1976)

Family

7.6

TV Series

Director

1977

2 episodes

 

Helen Hunt, Tony Becker, Clark Brandon, Mariclare Costello, Bert Kramer, Sean Marshall, Jimmy McNichol, Michele Tobin, and Derek Wells in The Fitzpatricks (1977)

The Fitzpatricks

7.4

TV Series

Director

1977

3 episodes

 

Raymond Burr in Kingston: Confidential (1976)

Kingston: Confidential

6.0

TV Series

Director

1977

1 episode

 

Jo Ann Harris, Shelly Novack, and Robert Stack in Most Wanted (1976)

Most Wanted

6.9

TV Series

Director (as Harvey Laidman, directed by)

1977

1 episode

 

The Blue Knight (1975)

The Blue Knight

6.8

TV Series

Director

1976

2 episodes

 

This Is the Life (1952)

This Is the Life

6.5

TV Series

Director

1976

1 episode

 

Actor

Jack & Me (2017)

Jack & Me

Short

Saul

2017

 

Producer

The Runaways (1975)

The Runaways

7.5

TV Movie

associate producer

1975

 

Police Headquarters

TV Movie

associate producer

1974

 

Production Manager

The Runaways (1975)

The Runaways

7.5

TV Movie

unit production manager

1975

 

Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, Kami Cotler, David W. Harper, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, Ralph Waite, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)

The Waltons

7.6

TV Series

unit production manager

1973–1975

21 episodes

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, Kami Cotler, David W. Harper, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, Ralph Waite, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)

The Waltons

7.6

TV Series

assistant director

1973–1975

21 episodes

 

Showdown (1973)

Showdown

5.9

assistant director (uncredited)

1973

 

Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973)

Invasion of the Bee Girls

4.9

second assistant director (as Harvey Laidman)

1973

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

6.9

TV Movie

assistant director

1973

 

Hernandez

9.8

TV Movie

first assistant director

1973

 

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969)

The Bold Ones: The New Doctors

6.8

TV Series

assistant director

1972–1973

6 episodes

 

That Certain Summer (1972)

That Certain Summer

7.6

TV Movie

assistant director (uncredited)

1972

 

Sharon Gans, Perry King, Valerie Perrine, and Michael Sacks in Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)

Slaughterhouse-Five

6.8

second assistant director (uncredited)

1972

 

Sometimes a Great Notion (1971)

Sometimes a Great Notion

6.9

second assistant director (uncredited)

1971

 

Gregory Peck, John Davis Chandler, Robert F. Lyons, and Pepe Serna in Shoot Out (1971)

Shoot Out

6.2

second assistant director (uncredited)

1971

 

Strother Martin, Desi Arnaz Jr., and Catherine Burns in Red Sky at Morning (1971)

Red Sky at Morning

7.0

assistant director (uncredited)

1971

 

Burt Lancaster, Jacqueline Bisset, Van Heflin, George Kennedy, Dean Martin, Barbara Hale, Helen Hayes, Barry Nelson, Lloyd Nolan, Jean Seberg, Maureen Stapleton, and Dana Wynter in Airport (1970)

Airport

6.6

assistant director (uncredited)

1970

 

Thanks

Meathook

special thanks

Completed

 

Game

Short

special thanks

2011

 

Night Shift

Short

special thanks

2011

 

Bums in Love

Short

special thanks

2011