James V. Kern

A former attorney educated at Fordham Law School, James V. Kern began his career in show business as a singer in the George Olsen Trio. He later sang and performed with The Yacht Club Boys from 1927 to 1939, often appearing with the quartet in motion pictures. In 1939 he began writing screenplays for B-movies like "East Side of Heaven" and "That's Right - You're Wrong" before making his directorial debut on the comedic film "The Doughgirls" in 1944. He continued to write and direct low-budget B-movies into the early 1950s, which is when he began his career in television. In 1953 he wrote and directed an episode for the Emmy-winning series "G.E. True Theater." This marked the start of a prolific and successful career directing television series; in 1955 he started work as a house director on the iconic sitcom "I Love Lucy." Kern found his niche in television by directing the loveable couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and he continued to work in TV through the 1950s and into the 1960s. He directed episodes of some of America's most popular television series at the time including "Bourbon Street Beat," "77 Sunset Strip," and "The Joey Bishop Show." His final TV achievement started in 1964 as he directed episodes for "My Three Sons." Kern directed a total of 99 episodes of the family sitcom before his death in Encino, California at the age of 57.