Oscar Rudolph

Oscar Rudolph was a pioneering television director who made infrequent departures to the big screen over his decades-spanning career. He began in show business as an actor, mostly in uncredited roles, as in the 1935 Cecil B. DeMille film "The Crusades," eventually appearing, with little consequence, in more than 35 features. Eventually, Rudolph settled on the other side of the camera, initially as a second unit/assistant director, a job he held in more than 25 pictures. In '52, however, television afforded Rudolph the opportunity to helm episodes of series such as "The Hunter" and "My Hero," and this led to his directing the sci-fi feature "The Rocket Man" in '54. During the mid-'50s, Rudolph contributed to episodes of the TV shows "Private Secretary" and "The Lone Ranger," and more series work included a TV version of "The Thin Man" and "The Donna Reed Show." In the '60s, Rudolph became a top sitcom director, working on "McHale's Navy," "My Favorite Martian," and "Gidget," in addition to more than 35 episodes of the classic "Batman" series. Rudolph started the '70s directing episodes of "The Brady Bunch," "Love, American Style," and "Adam-12." After his work on the slapstick sitcoms "The New Temperatures Rising Show" and "The Paul Lynde Show," Rudolph directed one more feature film, "The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West," before retiring in '76. He died in '91 from cerebral thrombosis.