# Robert M. Young (director)

Robert Milton Young (November 22, 1924 – February 6, 2024) was an American film and television director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and producer. Young was considered a trailblazer in the independent filmmaking sector and for frequently casting Edward James Olmos in his movies, directing him in Alambrista! (1977), The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982), Saving Grace (1986), Triumph of the Spirit (1989), Talent for the Game (1991), Roosters (1993), Slave of Dreams (1995), and Caught (1996). He produced Olmos's directorial debut, American Me (1992).

## Early life and education

Robert Milton Young was born in New York City on November 22, 1924. His father was a cameraman who later owned a film laboratory. Robert began college at MIT to become a chemical engineer. He left after two years to join the U.S. Navy during World War II and served in the Pacific in New Guinea and in the Philippines. Upon returning to America after the war, he decided to study English literature at Harvard University.
Young also developed an interest in filmmaking and graduated from Harvard in 1949.

## Career

After graduation, Young formed a cooperative partnership with two friends making educational films. In 1960, he worked for NBC making public affairs programs for NBC White Paper. In 1960, on behalf of NBC, he went to the American South to make the film Sit-In about the civil rights protests and sit-ins. The film won a Peabody Award.
Young later left NBC to pursue narrative film work.
Young won a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975.
In 1985 he was a member of the jury at the 14th Moscow International Film Festival.

## Death

Young died in Los Angeles on February 6, 2024, at the age of 99.

## Filmography
### Filmmaking credits
#### Feature films

| Title | Year | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
| Nothing But a Man | 1964 | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Short Eyes | 1977 | Yes | Yes | No | Directorial Debut |
| Alambrista! | 1977 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Rich Kids | 1979 | Yes | No | No | |
| One-Trick Pony | 1980 | Yes | No | No | |
| The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | 1982 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Saving Grace | 1986 | Yes | No | No | |
| Extremities | 1986 | Yes | No | No | |
| Dominick and Eugene | 1988 | Yes | No | No | |
| The Plot Against Harry | 1989 | No | Yes | No | Filming in 1969 |
| Triumph of the Spirit | 1989 | Yes | No | No | |
| Talent for the Game | 1991 | Yes | No | No | |
| American Me | 1992 | No | Yes | No | |
| Caught | 1996 | Yes | No | No | |
| China: The Panda Adventure | 2001 | Yes | No | No | IMAX film |
| Human Error | 2004 | Yes | No | No | |

#### Documentaries

| Title | Year | Director | Writer | Notes |
| Secrets of the Reef | 1956 | Yes | Yes | |
| At the Winter Sea Ice Camp: Part 4 | 1967 | Yes | No | Short film |
| The Eskimo: Fight for Life | 1970 | Yes | Yes | |
| Children of the Fields | 1973 | Yes | No | Short film |
| To Fly! | 1976 | No | Yes | IMAX short film |
| Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family | 1993 | Yes | No | |
| William Kurelek's The Maze | 2011 | Yes | No | Co-directed with David Grubin |
Cancelled film: Cortile Cascino (1962)

#### Television

| Title | Year | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
| World Wide '60 | 1960 | Yes | No | No | Television series (episode "The Living End") |
| Sit-In | 1960 | Yes | No | No | Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper' |
| Angola: Journey to a War | 1961 | Yes | No | No | Episode of TV series 'NBC White Paper') |
| J.T. | 1969 | Yes | No | No | Television film |
| National Geographic Specials | 1972–1976 | Yes | No | No | Television documentary series (4 episodes) |
| Amanda Fallon | 1973 | No | No | Creator | Unsold pilot |
| Special Treat | 1978 | Yes | No | No | Television series (episode "Snowbound") |
| We Are the Children | 1987 | Yes | No | No | Television film |
| Solomon & Sheba | 1995 | Yes | No | No | Television film |
| Slave of Dreams | 1995 | Yes | No | No | Television film |
| Caught | 1996 | Yes | No | No | Television film |
| Nothing Sacred | 1997–1998 | Yes | No | No | Television series (2 episodes) |
| Battlestar Galactica | 2004–2009 | Yes | No | No | Television series (5 episodes) |
| Walkout | 2006 | No | Co-Executive | No | Television film |

### Technical credits
#### Feature films

| Title | Year | Cinematographer | Camera operator |
| Nothing But a Man | 1964 | Yes | |
| Namu, the Killer Whale | 1966 | | Yes |
| Alambrista! | 1977 | Yes | |
| The Plot Against Harry | 1989 | Yes | |
| American Me | 1992 | | Yes |
| Berkeley | 2005 | | Yes |

#### Documentaries and other

| Title | Year | Cinematographer | Sound | Editor | Notes |
| Secrets of the Reef | 1956 | Yes | | | |
| Stalking Seal on the Spring Ice | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 2 films |
| Jigging for Lake Trout | 1967 | Yes | | | |
| Group Hunting on the Spring Ice | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 3 films |
| Fishing at the Stone Weir | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 2 films |
| Building a Kayak | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 2 films |
| At the Winter Sea Ice Camp | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 4 films |
| At the Spring Sea Ice Camp | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 3 films |
| At the Caribou Crossing Place | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series in 2 films |
| At the Autumn River Camp | 1967 | Yes | | | Short series (only part 2) |
| The Eskimo: Fight for Life | 1970 | Yes | | | |
| Deal | 1977 | Yes | | | |
| Out on a Limb: An Introduction to Jack Hodgins | 1981 | | Yes | | Short film |
| Imperfect Union: Canadian Labour and the Left, Part 2: Born of Hard Times | 1989 | | Yes | | |
| Children of Fate: Life and Death in a Sicilian Family | 1993 | Yes | | Yes | |
| The Last Winter | 2002 | | | Yes | Short film |
| William Kurelek's The Maze | 2011 | Yes | | | |

#### Television

| Title | Year | Cinematographer | Second unit director | Notes |
| High Adventure with Lowell Thomas | 1957 | | Yes | Television documentary series |
| National Geographic Specials | 1972–1976 | Yes | | Television documentary series (4 episodes) |
| Special Treat | 1978 | Yes | | Television series (episode "Snowbound") |
| Walkout | 2006 | | Yes | Television film |