Earl Bellamy

Earl Arthur Bellamy (March 11, 1917 – November 30, 2003) was an American film and television director, producer, writer, and set decorator.

Biography

Bellamy was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was also known as Earl J. Bellamy, or Earl J. Bellamy, Jr.^[1] His father was Richard James Bellamy. He moved to Hollywood in 1920 with his parents, his father was an railroad engineer. After graduating from Hollywood High School in 1935, Bellamy received a degree from Los Angeles City College^[2] and took a job as a messenger for Columbia Studios. Within four years, Bellamy had worked his way up to second assistant director before taking time off to serve in the U.S. Navy's photographic unit during World War II.

When Bellamy returned to Hollywood, he became a well-respected TV director who was particularly adept at Westerns. Although he directed nearly two dozen feature films, Bellamy was best known for his work on The Lone Ranger, Rawhide, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and The Virginian.

Family fare was his forte in the 1950s; he directed shows like Jungle Jim, Lassie, Leave It to Beaver and The Donna Reed Show. In the 1960s, he focused on sitcoms like Bachelor Father,Get Smart, The Munsters and McHale's Navy. Medical dramas, like M*A*S*H, Marcus Welby, M.D. and Trapper John M.D., kept him busy in the 70s. In the 1966–1967 season, he directed ABC's The Monroes starring Michael Anderson, Jr., and Barbara Hershey as orphans trying to hold together a family of siblings in the Wyoming wilderness. Before retiring in 1986, Bellamy directed the science fiction miniseries, V, and many episodes of Fantasy Island and Hart to Hart.

After his retirement, Bellamy and his wife moved to New Mexico. The state had provided him with many different filming locations.

In 2002, the Motion Picture and Television Fund gave him the prestigious Golden Boot Award.

Bellamy died suddenly on November 30, 2003, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 86. It is reported that he died of an myocardial infarction (heart attack).

He had three children, Michael, Earl Jr, and Karen. His first wife died 9 years after Earl Jr was born. His second wife (mother of Katherine) committed suicide. His third wife, Gail, survived him.

Films

• Speedtrap (1978) director
• Sidewinder One (1977) director
• Against a Crooked Sky (1975) director
• Walking Tall Part 2 (1975) director
• Seven Alone (1975) director
• Sidecar Racers (1975) director
• Backtrack! (1969) director
• Munster, Go Home (1966) director
• Fluffy (1965) director
• Three For the Show (1955) assistant director
• It Should Happen to You (1954) assistant director
• Shockproof (1949) assistant director

Television

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents Role: Director
• The Andy Griffith Show Role: Director
• Bachelor Father Role: Director
• The Brian Keith Show Role: Director of some episodes
• CHiPs Role: Director
• Castaways on Gilligan's Island (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Code Red Role: Director
• Companions in Nightmare (TV Movie) Role: Assistant Director
• Crusader Role: Director
• Daniel Boone Role: Director
• Desilu Playhouse Role: Director
• Desperate Mission (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Desperate Women (TV Movie) Role: Director
• The F.B.I. Role: Director
• Fantasy Island Role: Director
• Fire! (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Flood! (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Future Cop Role: Director
• Get Smart Role: Director
• Hart to Hart Role: Director, Writer
• I Spy Role: Director
• Isis Role: Director
• The John Forsythe Show Role: Director
• Knight in Shining Armour (TV Special) Role: Director
• Laramie Role: Director
• Laredo Role: Director
• Leave It to Beaver Role: Director
• The Lone Ranger Role: Director
• M Squad Role: Director
• M*A*S*H Role: Director
• Matt Helm Role: Director
• McHale's Navy Role: Director
• Medical Center Role: Director
• The Mod Squad Role: Director
• The Munsters Role: Director
• My Three Sons Role: Director
• O'Connor's Ocean (TV Special) Role: Director
• Partners (TV Series) Role: Director
• Perry Mason Role: Director
• Pigeon (TV Movie) Role: Director
• The Quest Role: Director
• Rawhide Role: Director
• The Restless Gun Role: Director of some episodes
• S.W.A.T. Role: Director
• The San Pedro Beach Bums Role: Director
• Sixth Sense (TV Series) Role: Director
• Starsky and Hutch Role: Director
• Stranded (TV Special) Role: Director
• Stranger on the Run (TV Movie) Role: Assistant Director
• To Rome with Love Role: Director
• Trackers (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Trapper John, M.D. Role: Director
• U.S. Marshal Role: Director
• Valentine Magic on Love Island (TV Movie) Role: Director
• Wagon Train Role: Director
• Young Dan'l Boone Role: Director

References

External links

• Earl Bellamy at the Internet Movie Database
• Earl Bellamy Papers at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research
• Earl Bellamy at Rotten Tomatoes
• Filmography by New York Times