About
"An actor should listen to what the director has to say. If you disagree, let's work it out. It's silly to disagree on some scene or something. It doesn't help the picture. You can have a lot of ups and downs, but so what? So does the guy selling gas."
In his three-and-a-half-hour interview Earl Bellamy (1917-2003) talks about his early years in the business working in films as an assistant director to George Cukor. He discusses making the transition to full-fledged director in features and television. He talks about some of his early television work on series like The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and The Lone Ranger, for which he directed over two dozen episodes. Bellamy talks about his work as a journeyman director from the 1950s to the 1980s on shows including Leave It to Beaver, Wagon Train, The Andy Griffith Show, I Spy, Starsky & Hutch, Hart to Hart, and M*A*S*H. He explains how he acquired his trademark nickname "No Strain," which referenced his easygoing style. He speaks in some detail about his extensive work on the sitcoms Bachelor Father, McHale's Navy, and My Three Sons. B-roll consists of photos from The Lone Ranger, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Munsters, and Fantasy Island. Karen Herman conducted the interview on June 24, 2003 in Rio Rancho, NM.
Highlights
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
Earl Bellamy on favorite feature films he's worked on, and on Hart to Hart being his favorite show to direct
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
Earl Bellamy on his early jobs in feature films, including "From Here to Eternity" and "A Star Is Born"
Earl Bellamy on his directing style
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on his early experience with the entertainment industry, and on going to work for Columbia Pictures; on discovering he wanted to be a director
On the first time he saw television; on his early jobs in feature films, including "From Here to Eternity" and "A Star Is Born"; on directing Annie Oakley, and on making the transition from directing features to directing television
On directing The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and The Lineup; on directing Jungle Jim and Crusader
Chapter 2
On directing Sergeant Preston of the Yukon; on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
On directing Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe; on things he would do when coming on board to direct a show, and on his reputation as a director; on directing Wagon Train and M Squad
On directing Perry Mason; on directing Leave it to Beaver
Chapter 3
On directing Leave it to Beaver, starring Jerry Mathers, Hugh Beaumont, and Barbara Billingsly; on directing U.S. Marshall and Rawhide; on directing Laramie and Laredo
On the Hollywood Blacklist; on directing McHale's Navy, starring Ernest Borgnine; on his favorite genre to direct and his very busy work schedule, and on directing the feature "Munsters Go Home"
On directing The Virginian, and on filming stunts for Westerns; on directing The Andy Griffith Show
Chapter 4
On working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show; on directing The Munsters; on directing Daniel Boone
On directing I Spy; on directing Get Smart
On his directing style; on directing The Mod Squad
Chapter 5
On directing Clarence Williams III on The Mod Squad; on directing My Three Sons, Starsky and Hutch, and M*A*S*H
On directing Hart to Hart, The Brady Bunch, and V; on the craft of directing for television; on the relationship between director and producer, and with the writers and crew, and on choosing the projects he directs
Chapter 6
On favorite feature films he's worked on, and on Hart to Hart being his favorite show to direct; on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
On b-roll pictures from his career- Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as "The Lone Ranger" and "Tonto"; on the set of Wells Fargo; on the set of The Munsters; with a lion; on the set of Fantasy Island; with Ernest Borgnine; in his directors chair; wearing a pair of red boots; publicity photo; with his wife, Gail Bellamy
Shows
Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
Andy Griffith Show, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
Annie Oakley
Earl Bellamy on directing Annie Oakley, and on making the transition from directing features to directing television
Bachelor Father
Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father starring John Forsythe
Brady Bunch, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Brady Bunch
Crusader
Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
Daniel Boone
Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone
Get Smart
Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart
Hart to Hart
Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart
Earl Bellamy on favorite feature films he's worked on, and on Hart to Hart being his favorite show to direct
I Spy
Earl Bellamy on directing I Spy
Laramie
Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
Laredo
Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
Leave it to Beaver
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
Lineup, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Lineup
Lone Ranger, The
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
M Squad
Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad
M*A*S*H
Earl Bellamy on directing M*A*S*H
McHale's Navy
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
Mod Squad, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Mod Squad
Earl Bellamy on directing Clarence Williams III on The Mod Squad
Munsters, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Munsters
My Three Sons
Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons
Perry Mason (1957-66)
Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason
Rawhide
Earl Bellamy on directing U.S. Marshall and Rawhide
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Earl Bellamy on directing Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Starsky and Hutch
Earl Bellamy on directing Starsky and Hutch
V
Earl Bellamy on directing V
Virginian, The
Earl Bellamy on directing The Virginian, and on filming stunts for Westerns
Wagon Train
Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train
Topics
Advice
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
Hollywood Blacklist
Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
Industry Crossroads
Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
Pivotal Career Moments
Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
Television Industry
Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
Professions
Directors
Earl Bellamy on things he would do when coming on board to direct a show, and on his reputation as a director
Earl Bellamy on his directing style
Earl Bellamy on the craft of directing for television
Earl Bellamy on the relationship between director and producer, and with the writers and crew
Earl Bellamy on choosing the projects he directs
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
Genres
Adventure/Espionage Series
Earl Bellamy on directing Jungle Jim
Earl Bellamy on directing Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Earl Bellamy on directing I Spy
Comedy Series
Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
Earl Bellamy on directing The Munsters
Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart starring Don Adams
Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons
Earl Bellamy on directing M*A*S*H
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad
Earl Bellamy on directing The Mod Squad
Earl Bellamy on directing Clarence Williams III on The Mod Squad
Earl Bellamy on directing Starsky and Hutch
Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart
Drama Series
Earl Bellamy on directing The Lineup
Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
Legal Dramas
Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason
Western Series
Earl Bellamy on directing Annie Oakley
Earl Bellamy on directing The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train
Earl Bellamy on directing U.S. Marshall and Rawhide
Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
Earl Bellamy on directing The Virginian, and on filming stunts for Westerns
Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone
People
Don Adams
Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart, starring Don Adams
Frances Bavier
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Frances Bavier
Ward Bond
Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train, starring Ward Bond
Ernest Borgnine
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy, starring Ernest Borgnine
Raymond Burr
Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale
Noreen Corcoran
Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe and Noreen Corcoran
George Cukor
Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
William Demarest
Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons, starring William Demarest
Barbara Feldon
Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart, starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon
John Forsythe
Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe
Andy Griffith
Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Andy Griffith
Barbara Hale
Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale
Ron Howard
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Ron Howard
Brian Keith
Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
Don Knotts
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Don Knotts
Fred MacMurray
Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons, starring Fred MacMurray
Lee Marvin
Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad, starring Lee Marvin
Clayton Moore
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer, and directing The Lone Ranger, starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels
Howard Morris
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Howard Morris
Jim Nabors
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Jim Nabors
Fess Parker
Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone, starring Fess Parker
Stefanie Powers
Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers
Jay Silverheels
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer, and directing The Lone Ranger, starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels
Robert Wagner
Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers
Johnny Weissmuller
Earl Bellamy on directing Jungle Jim, starring Johnny Weissmuller