Earl Bellamy

Earl Bellamy
Earl Arthur Bellamy (March 11, 1917 – November 30, 2003) was an American television and film director.
Biography
Bellamy was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was also known as Earl J. Bellamy, or Earl J. Bellamy, Jr. His father was Richard James Bellamy. He moved to Hollywood in 1920 with his parents; his father was a railroad engineer. (The preceding information is from his obituary and is incorrect. He was the biological child of George Wachsmuth and Lillie Stophilbeen. When they divorced, he was raised by his grandparents, John, who changed his surname from Stophilbeen to Bellamy, and Lillie Bellamy. John was a stationery engineer, not a railroad engineer.) After graduating from Hollywood High School in 1935, Bellamy received a degree from Los Angeles City College 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, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Rawhide, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Virginian and Tales of Wells Fargo.
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 Andy Griffith Show, 'The Munsters, McHale's Navy, and the final season of My Three Sons. Medical dramas, like Marcus Welby, M.D. and Trapper John M.D., as well as sitcoms such as M*A*S*H and The San Pedro Beach Bums, kept him busy in the 1970s. 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 on November 30, 2003, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 86. It is reported that he died of a 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 Karen) committed suicide.
FilmsSidewinder 1 (1977) directorSpeedtrap (1977) directorAgainst a Crooked Sky (1975) directorWalking Tall Part 2 (1975) directorSidecar Racers (1975) directorSeven Alone (1974) directorBacktrack! (1969) directorIncident at Phantom Hill (1966) director Munster, Go Home! (1966) directorGunpoint (1966) director Fluffy (1965) directorStagecoach to Dancers' Rock (1962) directorToughest Gun in Tombstone (1958) directorBlackjack Ketchum, Desperado (1956) directorSeminole Uprising (1955) director It Should Happen to You (1954) assistant directorFrom Here to Eternity (1953) assistant directorShockproof (1949) assistant director
TelevisionAlfred Hitchcock Presents Role: DirectorThe Andy Griffith Show Role: DirectorBachelor Father Role: DirectorThe Brian Keith Show Role: Director of some episodesCHiPs Role: DirectorCastaways on Gilligan's Island (TV movie) Role: DirectorCode Red Role: DirectorCrusader Role: DirectorDaniel Boone Role: DirectorDesilu Playhouse Role: DirectorThe Desperate Mission (TV movie) Role: DirectorDesperate Women (TV movie) Role: DirectorEight Is Enough, season 3, episode 17: "Mother's Rule", Role: DirectorThe F.B.I. Role: DirectorFantasy Island Role: DirectorFire! (TV movie) Role: DirectorFlood! (TV movie) Role: DirectorFuture Cop Role: DirectorGet Smart Role: DirectorHart to Hart Role: Director, WriterI Spy Role: DirectorIsis Role: DirectorThe John Forsythe Show Role: DirectorKnight in Shining Armour (TV special) Role: DirectorLaramie Role: DirectorLaredo Role: DirectorLeave It to Beaver Role: DirectorThe Lone Ranger Role: DirectorM Squad Role: DirectorM*A*S*H Role: DirectorMasquerade Role: DirectorMatt Helm Role: DirectorMcHale's Navy Role: DirectorMedical Center Role: DirectorThe Mod Squad Role: DirectorThe Munsters Role: DirectorMy Three Sons Role: DirectorO'Connor's Ocean (TV special) Role: DirectorPartners (TV series) Role: DirectorPerry Mason Role: DirectorThe Pigeon (TV movie) Role: DirectorThe Quest Role: DirectorRawhide Role: DirectorThe Restless Gun Role: Director of some episodesS.W.A.T. Role: DirectorThe San Pedro Beach Bums Role: DirectorSixth Sense (TV series) Role: DirectorStarsky and Hutch Role: DirectorStranded (TV special) Role: DirectorTo Rome with Love Role: DirectorThe Trackers (TV movie) Role: DirectorTrapper John, M.D. Role: DirectorU.S. Marshal Role: Director 2 episodesValentine Magic on Love Island (TV movie) Role: DirectorWagon Train Role: DirectorYoung Dan'l Boone Role: DirectorTales of Wells Fargo'' Role: Director
References
External links
Earl Bellamy Papers at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research
Filmography by New York Times
1917 births
2003 deaths
American television directors
Film producers from California
Artists from Minneapolis
People from Hollywood, Los Angeles
Artists from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Los Angeles City College alumni
United States Navy personnel of World War II
United States Navy sailors
Film directors from Minnesota
Film directors from Los Angeles
Film directors from New Mexico
Film producers from Minnesota