Biography
Served with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II. Then, quietly and without publicity or fanfare, compiled one of the most distinguished peacetime military careers of anyone in his profession. In 1961, as his weekly TV series Hennesey (1959) was enhancing naval recruiting efforts, accepted a commission as a line officer in the Naval Reserve with duties in recruitment, training films, and public relations. Holder of a multi-engine pilot license, he later co-piloted jet planes for the Navy, which made him an Honorary Aviator authorized to wear wings of gold-at the time only the third so honored in naval aviation history. By 1976 he had attained the rank of captain, and was in uniform aboard the carrier USS Constellation for the Bicentennial celebration on July 4. In 1980, the Navy proposed a period of active duty at the Pentagon that would have resulted in a promotion to rear admiral, bringing him even with Air Force Reserve Brigadier General James Stewart. Fresh on the heels of a second directing Emmy, he felt his absence would impact achieving a long-held goal of directing motion pictures, and reluctantly declined. (The opportunity in films never materialized.) Holds Letters of Commendation from six secretaries of the Navy. Was honorary chairman of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and a charter member of VIVA, the effort to return POW-MIAs from Vietnam. Upon retirement in 1982, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit by Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr.. Other than Stewart, no performer in his industry has achieved a higher uniformed rank in the U.S. military. (Glenn Ford was also a Naval Reserve captain, and director and Captain John Ford was awarded honorary flag rank upon his 1951 retirement from the Naval Reserve).
Filmography
all 203
Movies 122
TV Shows 81
self 37
Director 35
Narrator 1
Creator 1
Voice 1
The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 2 (2021)
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman (2006)
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006)
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (2006)
Judy Garland: By Myself (2004)
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir (2001)
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood (2000)
Sports on the Silver Screen (1997)
Inside the Dream Factory (1995)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995)
The Our Gang Story (1994)
MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992)
Going Hollywood: The War Years (1988)
Superboy (1988)
Supercarrier (1988)
Surrender (1987)
The Law & Harry McGraw (1987)
Jake and the Fatman (1987)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
The Ladies (1987)
Spies (1987)
Ohara (1987)
Sledge Hammer! (1986)
The Deacon Street Deer (1986)
Izzy & Moe (1985)
The Making of 'Superman III' (1985)
The Night They Saved Christmas (1984)
Murder, She Wrote (1984)
Glitter (1984)
Ticket to Hollywood (1984)
No Earthly Reason (1984)
Our Gang: Inside the Clubhouse (1984)
Superman III (1983)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)
Juvenile Jury (1983)
Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story (1982)
St. Elsewhere (1982)
Moonlight (1982)
Cagney & Lacey (1982)
Hollywood’s Children (1982)
The Making of 'Superman II' (1982)
Leave 'Em Laughing (1981)
Rascal Dazzle (1981)
Magnum, P.I. (1980)
Superman II (1980)
Rodeo Girl (1980)
White Mama (1980)
Marathon (1980)
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie' (1980)
Paris (1979)
Trapper John, M.D. (1979)
Sex and the Single Parent (1979)
Superman (1978)
The White Shadow (1978)
Rainbow (1978)
Perfect Gentlemen (1978)
Having Babies III (1978)
The Feather And Father Gang (1977)
Quincy, M.E. (1976)
Holmes & Yo-Yo (1976)
Mobile One (1975)
Mobile Two (1975)
Journey into Fear (1975)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1975)
The Invisible Man (1975)
The Invisible Man (1975)
The Day the Earth Moved (1974)
The Rockford Files (1974)
The Dean Martin Comedy World (1974)
Chosen Survivors (1974)
Kojak (1973)
Big John Morrison (1973)
Police Story (1973)
M*A*S*H (1972)
Ghost Story (1972)
Hec Ramsey (1972)
Stand Up and Be Counted (1972)
The Astronaut (1972)
McMillan and Wife (1971)
Columbo (1971)
Mantrap (1971)
The Love Machine (1971)
It Was a Very Good Year (1971)
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring (1971)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
McCloud (1970)
Shadow on the Land (1968)
Hawaii Five-O (1968)
Ironside (1967)
The F.B.I. (1965)
Calhoun (1964)
The Great Adventure (1963)
The Danny Kaye Show (1963)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
Ensign O'Toole (1962)
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers (1962)
Everything's Ducky (1961)
The Mike Douglas Show (1961)
The Gertrude Berg Show (1961)
The Dick Powell Show (1961)
The Twilight Zone (1959)
Hennesey (1959)
Pursuit (1958)
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom (1957)
To Tell the Truth (1956)
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)
The Steve Allen Show (1956)
Telephone Time (1956)
The People's Choice (1955)
MGM Parade (1955)
Producers' Showcase (1954)
The Elgin Hour (1954)
The George Gobel Show (1954)
Justice (1954)
The Motorola Television Hour (1953)
The United States Steel Hour (1953)
Medallion Theatre (1953)
Revlon Mirror Theatre (1953)
General Electric Theater (1953)
Cowboy G-Men (1952)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
Tales of Tomorrow (1951)
Lux Video Theatre (1950)
Danger (1950)
The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950)
Starlight Theatre (1950)
Your Show of Shows (1950)
What's My Line? (1950)
Robert Montgomery Presents (1950)
The Clock (1949)
Suspense (1949)
Studio One (1948)
The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1948)
Texaco Star Theater (1948)
French Leave (1948)
Kilroy Was Here (1947)
Stork Bites Man (1947)
Where Are Your Children? (1943)
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform (1943)
The Navy Comes Through (1942)
Men of Texas (1942)
Syncopation (1942)
Glamour Boy (1941)
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1 (1941)
Her First Beau (1941)
Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
Life with Henry (1941)
Gallant Sons (1940)
Angels of Mercy (1940)
Rodeo Dough (1940)
The Return of Frank James (1940)
Seventeen (1940)
The Big Guy (1939)
Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)
What a Life (1939)
Two Bright Boys (1939)
Streets of New York (1939)
The Spirit of Culver (1939)
Scouts to the Rescue (1939)
Newsboys' Home (1938)
Gangster's Boy (1938)
That Certain Age (1938)
White Banners (1938)
Bear Facts (1938)
Boy of the Streets (1938)
The Devil Is a Sissy (1936)
Tough Guy (1936)
O'Shaughnessy's Boy (1935)
Dinky (1935)
Peck's Bad Boy (1934)
Treasure Island (1934)
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 (1934)
Lone Cowboy (1933)
The Bowery (1933)
Broadway to Hollywood (1933)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 (1932)
Divorce In The Family (1932)
When a Feller Needs a Friend (1932)
Sooky (1931)
The Christmas Party (1931)
The Champ (1931)
Young Donovan's Kid (1931)
Bargain Day (1931)
Skippy (1931)
Little Daddy (1931)
Love Business (1931)
Helping Grandma (1931)
School's Out (1930)
Teacher's Pet (1930)
Pups Is Pups (1930)
A Tough Winter (1930)
Bear Shooters (1930)
When the Wind Blows (1930)
The Ghosts (1930)
The First Seven Years (1930)
Shivering Shakespeare (1930)
Sunny Side Up (1929)
Moan & Groan, Inc. (1929)
Bouncing Babies (1929)
Boxing Gloves (1929)
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 (1929)
Anyone Can Win
Ratings
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Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1922-09-15
Deathday2011-05-03 (88 years old)
Birth PlaceLos Angeles, United States of America
RelationshipsHildy Parks (1950-01-01 - 1951-01-01)
RelativesJulie Leonard
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsJohn Cooper Jr.
Awardsstar on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Legionnaire of Legion of Merit, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Emmy Award
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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