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Robert Butler

Robert Butler

Highest Rated: 83% The Barefoot Executive (1971)

Lowest Rated: 19% Turbulence (1997)

Birthday: Nov 16, 1927

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA

Although Robert Butler is probably best known for his television work on the cult science-fiction show "Star Trek" (he directed the original pilot "The Cage" and the two-part "Menagerie"), he is also fondly remembered by nostalgic moviegoers for his two live-action Walt Disney movies, "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" and "The Barefoot Detective," both starring a teenage Kurt Russell. Butler also directed the Disney comedy/western film "Hot Lead and Cold Feet," starring Don Knotts and Darren McGavin. But his legacy as a director resides with the many television shows he has worked on, with some of the most notable ones including the gloriously campy "Batman" of the 1960s, the original "The Untouchables," two episodes of the celebrated suspense anthology "The Twilight Zone" (the racially charged "The Encounter" and the ventriloquist shocker "Caesar and Me"), and the original versions of such enduring franchises as the "The Fugitive" and "Mission: Impossible." Although the '60s and '70s were his true heyday, Butler enjoyed an'80s success or two as well, including the seminal gritty cop show "Hill Street Blues." As the turn of the new millennium approached and and went by, the director's television efforts became increasingly more sporadic and he took to helming such occasional feature films as the white-knuckle airplane triller "Turbulence." Robert Butler died on November 3, 2023 at the age of 95.

Photos

Robert Butler in the press room for 67th Annual Directors Guild of America DGA Awards - Press Room, The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles, CA February 7, 2015. Photo By: Xavier Collin/Everett Collection Robert Butler in the press room for 67th Annual Directors Guild of America DGA Awards - Press Room, The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles, CA February 7, 2015. Photo By: Xavier Collin/Everett Collection TURBULENCE, director Robert Butler, on set, 1997. (c)MGM
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
19% 19% Turbulence Director $11.5M 1997
No Score Yet 23% White Mile Director - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of Time Director,
Executive Producer 		- 1988
No Score Yet 75% Out on a Limb Director - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Long Time Gone Director - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Our Family Honor Director - 1985
No Score Yet 59% Up the Creek Director - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Concrete Beat Director - 1984
No Score Yet 27% Underground Aces Director - 1980
No Score Yet 68% Night of the Juggler Director - 1980
No Score Yet 65% Hot Lead and Cold Feet Director - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lacy and the Mississippi Queen Director - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Question of Guilt Director - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Woman Accused Director - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mayday at 40,000 Feet! Director - 1976
No Score Yet 30% James Dean Director - 1976
No Score Yet 44% Dark Victory Director - 1976
No Score Yet 10% Strange New World Director - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ultimate Thrill Director - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ultimate Chase Director - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Blue Knight Director - 1973
80% 57% Now You See Him, Now You Don't Director - 1972
20% No Score Yet Scandalous John Director - 1971
83% 48% The Barefoot Executive Director - 1971
No Score Yet 71% Death Takes a Holiday Director - 1971
57% 40% The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes Director - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Spy Busters Director - 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Guns in the Heather Director - 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Secret of Boyne Castle Director - 1968

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet EastEnders Writer 2018
86% 86% Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Director 1993
No Score Yet 80% Columbo Director 1973-1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Waltons Director 1972-1973
No Score Yet 100% Kung Fu Director 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gunsmoke Director 1967 1969 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Felony Squad Director 1966-1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ironside Director 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Judd for the Defense Director 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet I Spy Director 1966
80% 88% Star Trek Director 1966
72% 78% Batman Director 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fugitive Director 1964-1966
No Score Yet 100% Hogan's Heroes Director 1965-1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Virginian Director 1965
92% 96% The Twilight Zone Director 1964
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Lieutenant Director 1963-1964
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ben Casey Director 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Untouchables Director 1962-1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Kildare Director 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rifleman Director 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Dick Van Dyke Show Director 1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bonanza Director 1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet Have Gun -- Will Travel Director 1961