Earl Bellamy

Director


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

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.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"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."

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
03:06
Earl Bellamy on favorite feature films he's worked on, and on Hart to Hart being his favorite show to direct
01:50
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
07:46
Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
04:30
Earl Bellamy on his early jobs in feature films, including "From Here to Eternity" and "A Star Is Born"
04:26
Earl Bellamy on his directing style
05:00
Full Interview

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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

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
01:47

Andy Griffith Show, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
01:48
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
07:46

Annie Oakley

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Earl Bellamy on directing Annie Oakley, and on making the transition from directing features to directing television 
01:50

Bachelor Father

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Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father starring John Forsythe
05:41

Brady Bunch, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Brady Bunch
00:36

Crusader

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Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
01:21

Daniel Boone

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Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone
02:14

Get Smart

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Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart
02:09

Hart to Hart

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Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart
02:37
Earl Bellamy on favorite feature films he's worked on, and on Hart to Hart being his favorite show to direct
01:50

I Spy

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Earl Bellamy on directing I Spy
05:00

Laramie

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Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
02:53

Laredo

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Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
02:53

Leave it to Beaver

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Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
01:23
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
02:12

Lineup, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Lineup
04:38

Lone Ranger, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
06:13

M Squad

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Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad
00:58

M*A*S*H

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Earl Bellamy on directing M*A*S*H
03:09

McHale's Navy

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Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
03:05

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

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Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
06:13

Mod Squad, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Mod Squad
04:11
Earl Bellamy on directing Clarence Williams III on The Mod Squad
02:17

Munsters, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Munsters
02:25

My Three Sons

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Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons
05:12

Perry Mason

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Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason
03:54

Rawhide

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Earl Bellamy on directing U.S. Marshall and Rawhide
06:01

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

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Earl Bellamy on directing Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
02:52

Starsky and Hutch

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Earl Bellamy on directing Starsky and Hutch
04:19

V

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Earl Bellamy on directing V
00:39

Virginian, The

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Virginian, and on filming stunts for Westerns
05:32

Wagon Train

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Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train
01:30
Topics

Advice

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Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
03:01

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
04:30

Hollywood Blacklist

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Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
02:35

Industry Crossroads

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Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
02:35

Pivotal Career Moments

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Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
04:30

Television Industry

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Earl Bellamy on the Hollywood Blacklist
02:35
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
03:01
Professions

Directors

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Earl Bellamy on things he would do when coming on board to direct a show, and on his reputation as a director
05:37
Earl Bellamy on his directing style
04:33
Earl Bellamy on the craft of directing for television
03:42
Earl Bellamy on the relationship between director and producer, and with the writers and crew
02:36
Earl Bellamy on choosing the projects he directs
03:01
Earl Bellamy on advice to aspiring directors, and on advice to actors working with directors
03:01
Genres

Adventure/Espionage Series

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Earl Bellamy on directing Jungle Jim
02:03
Earl Bellamy on directing Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
02:52
Earl Bellamy on directing I Spy
05:01

Comedy Series

View Genre
Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father
05:41
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
01:23
Earl Bellamy on directing Leave it to Beaver
02:13
Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
01:48
Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy
03:05
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show
07:46
Earl Bellamy on directing The Munsters
02:25
Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart starring Don Adams
02:09
Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons
05:12
Earl Bellamy on directing M*A*S*H
03:09

Cop/Detective/Mystery Series

View Genre
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
06:13
Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad
00:58
Earl Bellamy on directing The Mod Squad
04:11
Earl Bellamy on directing Clarence Williams III on The Mod Squad
02:17
Earl Bellamy on directing Starsky and Hutch
04:19
Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart
02:37

Drama Series

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Lineup
04:38
Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
01:21

Legal Dramas

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Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason
03:54

Western Series

View Genre
Earl Bellamy on directing Annie Oakley
01:50
Earl Bellamy on directing The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
01:47
Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer and The Lone Ranger
06:13
Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train
01:30
Earl Bellamy on directing U.S. Marshall and Rawhide
06:01
Earl Bellamy on directing Laramie and Laredo
02:53
Earl Bellamy on directing The Virginian, and on filming stunts for Westerns
05:32
Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone
02:14
People

Don Adams

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Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart, starring Don Adams
02:09

Frances Bavier

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Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Frances Bavier
00:29

Ward Bond

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Earl Bellamy on directing Wagon Train, starring Ward Bond
01:27

Ernest Borgnine

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Earl Bellamy on directing McHale's Navy, starring Ernest Borgnine
03:05

Raymond Burr

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Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale
03:55

Noreen Corcoran

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Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe and Noreen Corcoran
05:41

George Cukor

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Earl Bellamy on what he learned from his mentor, George Cukor
04:30

William Demarest

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Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons, starring William Demarest
05:12

Barbara Feldon

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Earl Bellamy on directing Get Smart, starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon
02:09

John Forsythe

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Earl Bellamy on directing Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe
05:41

Andy Griffith

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Earl Bellamy on directing The Andy Griffith Show
01:48
Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Andy Griffith
00:59

Barbara Hale

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Earl Bellamy on directing Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale
03:55

Ron Howard

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Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Ron Howard
00:44

Brian Keith

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Earl Bellamy on directing Crusader, starring Brian Keith
01:21

Don Knotts

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Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Don Knotts
00:34

Fred MacMurray

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Earl Bellamy on directing My Three Sons, starring Fred MacMurray
05:12

Lee Marvin

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Earl Bellamy on directing M Squad, starring Lee Marvin  
00:58

Clayton Moore

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Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer, and directing The Lone Ranger, starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels
06:13

Howard Morris

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Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Howard Morris
02:29

Jim Nabors

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Earl Bellamy on working with the cast of The Andy Griffith Show: Jim Nabors
00:57

Fess Parker

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Earl Bellamy on directing Daniel Boone, starring Fess Parker
02:14

Stefanie Powers

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Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers
02:37

Jay Silverheels

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Earl Bellamy on directing Mike Hammer, and directing The Lone Ranger, starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels
06:13

Robert Wagner

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Earl Bellamy on directing Hart to Hart, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers
02:37

Johnny Weissmuller

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Earl Bellamy on directing Jungle Jim, starring Johnny Weissmuller
02:02

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