Egbert Warnderink "E. W." Swackhamer Jr. (January 17, 1927 – December 5, 1994) was an American

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

and

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

Career

Swackhamer's credits included ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. The ...

'', ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series that ran for eight seasons on NBC, from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los ...

'', ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'', ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...

'', ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from Se ...

'' and ''

The Flying Nun ''The Flying Nun'' is an American sitcom about a community of nuns which included one who could fly when the wind caught her cornette. It was produced by Screen Gems for ABC based on the 1965 book ''The Fifteenth Pelican,'' written by Tere Rio ...

''.The New York Times
/ref> Of the 27

pilots An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

for

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

directed by Swackhamer, 18 went into regular

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

, including ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...

'', ''

Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who ...

'', ''

Quincy, M.E. ''Quincy, M.E.'' (also called ''Quincy'') is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that aired on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County med ...

'', ''

S.W.A.T. In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

'' and ''

Nancy Drew Nancy Drew is a Fictional character, fictional character appearing in several Mystery fiction, mystery book series, movies, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwriter, ghostwritten by a number of authors and published ...

''. Swackhamer was the stage manager for the original Broadway production of ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

''. He went to Hollywood in 1961, after working on and

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

and for national companies as an

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

stage manager Stage management is a broad field that is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal p ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

. Swackhamer received an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for directing the six-hour

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

The Dain Curse ''The Dain Curse'' is a novel by Dashiell Hammett, published in 1929. Before its publication in book form, it was serialized in ''Black Mask (magazine), Black Mask'' magazine in 1928 and 1929. Serial publication ''The Dain Curse'' was original ...

'' during the 1977–78 season. He was the father of Ten Eyck Swackhamer and Elizabeth Swackhamer with his first wife, Gretchen Shane. He married actress

Bridget Hanley Bridget Ann Elizabeth Hanley (February 3, 1941 – December 15, 2021) was an American actress, known for her starring and supporting roles in TV comedy, western, adventure, and drama programs, including as Candy Pruitt in the Western dramedy ser ...

on April 26, 1969 and they had two daughters, Bronwyn (born March 3, 1971) and Meagan.YoLike
Biography He was working as a director on '' Star Command'' at the time of his death, of a ruptured aortic aneurysm, on December 5, 1994.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Cosby Mysteries ''The Cosby Mysteries'' is an American mystery drama television series starring Bill Cosby that aired on NBC from September 21, 1994, to April 12, 1995. 19 episodes were made. It was the first television series to star Cosby since ''The Cosby Sho ...

'' (2 episodes, 1994) * '' MacShayne: The Final Roll of the Dice'' (1994) (TV) * ''

'' (8 episodes, 1990–1993) * '' The Secret Passion of Robert Clayton'' (1992) (TV) * ''

Are You Lonesome Tonight "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (sometimes stylized as Are You Lonesome To-night?) is a song written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman in 1926. It was recorded several times in 1927—first by Charles Hart, with successful versions by Vaughn De Leath, He ...

'' (1992) (TV) * ''

Lookwell ''Lookwell'' was a television pilot written and produced by Conan O'Brien and Robert Smigel, the latter of whom would become a primary creative voice for O'Brien's late night show. It starred Adam West. Despite being a "personal favorite" of NBC ...

'' (1991) (TV) * '' Columbo: Columbo Goes to College'' (1990) (TV) * ''

Jake and the Fatman ''Jake and the Fatman'' is an American crime drama television series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. (Jason Lochinvar) "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from September ...

'' (8 episodes, 1987–1990) * ''

H.E.L.P. ''H.E.L.P.'' is an American television drama series which aired on ABC for one season as a mid-season replacement for '' Mission: Impossible'', which was a replacement for ''Mr. Belvedere'' in March 1990. The series was created by Christopher ...

'' (1990) TV series (unknown episodes) * '' In the Heat of the Night'' (2 episodes, 1989) * ''

Christine Cromwell ''Christine Cromwell'' is an American crime drama television series that aired as a rotating element of the '' ABC Mystery Movie''. It debuted on November 11, 1989, and ended on February 17, 1990, with four episodes presented semi-monthly. Prem ...

'' - "Things That Go Bump in the Night" (1989) TV episode * '' Desperado: The Outlaw Wars'' (1989) (TV) * ''

'' - "Deadpan" (1988) TV episode * '' Desperado: The Return of Desperado'' (1988) (TV) * ''

The Wizard Wizard, the wizard, or wizards may refer to: * Wizard (fantasy), a fictional practitioner of magic * Wizard (supernatural), a practitioner of magic Art, entertainment and media Fictional characters * Wizard (Archie Comics), a comic book supe ...

'' (3 episodes, 1986) * ''

'' - "The House of the Rising Flan" (1986) TV episode * ''

Bridge Across Time ''Bridge Across Time'', also known as ''Terror at London Bridge'', is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film. It was an NBC movie of the week, written by William F. Nolan, directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starred David Hasselhoff, Stepf ...

'' (1985) (TV) * '' The Rousters'' (1983) (TV) * '' Malibu'' (1983) (TV) * '' Cocaine and Blue Eyes'' (1983) (TV) * ''

Carpool Carpooling (also car-sharing, ride-sharing and lift-sharing) is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car, and prevents the need for others to have to drive to a location themselves. By having more people usi ...

'' (1983) (TV) * ''

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...

'' - "Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang" (1982) TV episode * ''

The Oklahoma City Dolls ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1981) (TV) * '' Longshot'' (1981) * ''

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'' is an American detective/comedy series originally broadcast by the ABC network between January and June 1980. The series was created by executive producer Stephen J. Cannell and a joint production of Stephen J. Cannel ...

'' - "Pilot" (1980) TV episode * '' The Death of Ocean View Park'' (1979) (TV) * ''

Vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

(1979) (TV) * ''

The Winds of Kitty Hawk ''The Winds of Kitty Hawk'' is a 1978 American made-for-television biographical film directed by E. W. Swackhamer about the Wright brothers and their invention of the first successful powered heavier-than-air flying machine, the ''Wright Flyer' ...

'' (1978) (TV) * ''

'' (1978) TV mini-series * ''

Family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

'' (2 episodes, 1977) * ''

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...

'' (1977) (TV) * ''

'' - "Never Try Eating Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense" (1977) TV episode * ''

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'' (re-titled ''The Hardy Boys'' for season three) is an American television mystery series based on the ''Hardy Boys'' and ''Nancy Drew'' juvenile novels. The series, which ran from January 30, 1977, to Janu ...

'' - "The Mystery of Pirate's Cove" (1977) TV episode * '' Once an Eagle'' (1976) TV mini-series * ''

'' - "Go Fight City Hall... to the Death" (1976) TV episode * ''

Death at Love House ''Death at Love House'' (a.k.a. ''The Shrine of Lorna Love'') is a 1976 American made-for-television horror film directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starring Robert Wagner, Kate Jackson, Sylvia Sidney and Marianna Hill. The film aired on the ABC ne ...

'' (1976) (TV) * '' McCloud'' (4 episodes, 1975–1976) * ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

'' (2 episodes, 1975) * ''

'' - "S.W.A.T.: Part 1" (1975) TV episode * ''

The Rookies ''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department (SC ...

'' (11 episodes, 1972–1975) * ''

Death Sentence Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that ...

'' (1974) * ''

Chopper One ''Chopper One'' is a short-lived ABC action-crime television series in early 1974, depicting the activities of a fictional California police helicopter team. The program was produced by television powerhouse Spelling-Goldberg Productions. The se ...

'' (2 episodes, 1974) * ''

The New Perry Mason ''The New Perry Mason'' is a CBS TV series that ran from 1973 to 1974. It was a revival of the 1957 ''Perry Mason'' television series about Erle Stanley Gardner's brilliant defense attorney. Plot All of the major characters of the original serie ...

'' (2 episodes, 1973) * ''

Roll Out ''Roll Out'' is an American sitcom that aired Friday evenings on CBS during the 1973-1974 television season. Starring nightclub comedian Stu Gilliam and Hilly Hicks, and featuring Ed Begley Jr. and Garrett Morris, the series was set in France ...

'' - "The Paper Caper" (1973) TV episode * ''

The Girl with Something Extra ''The Girl with Something Extra'' is an American fantasy sitcom that aired on NBC for one season during 1973–1974. The series was created by Bernard Slade and produced by Screen Gems. Synopsis ''The Girl with Something Extra'' is a comedy abo ...

'' - "No Benefit of Doubt" (1973) TV episode * ''

'' (8 episodes, 1970–1973) * ''

Anna and the King ''Anna and the King'' is a 1999 American biographical period drama film directed by Andy Tennant and written by Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes. Loosely based on the 1944 novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'', which gives a fictionalized account ...

'' - "The Chimes" (1972) TV episode * ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'' - "Stallion" (1972) TV episode * '' Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law'' - "The Trouble with Ralph" (1972) TV episode * ''

'' - "Chief Surgeon Who?" (1972) TV episode * ''

'' (8 episodes, 1965–1972) * ''

Gidget Gets Married ''Gidget Gets Married'' is a 1972 American made-for television comedy film produced by Screen Gems for ABC. It was written by John McGreevey, directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starred Monie Ellis as Gidget. Plot Now that Jeff has completed his ...

'' (1972) (TV) * ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...

'' (1971) TV episode (segment "Love and the Reincarnation") * ''

The Young Rebels ''The Young Rebels'' is an American adventure TV series that was broadcast by ABC as part of its 1970 fall lineup on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m Eastern time. Stars Richard Ely and Philippe Forquet died within a month of each other. Plot ''The You ...

'' - "Fort Hope" (1970) TV episode * ''

Here Come the Brides ''Here Come the Brides'' is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970. It was loosely based on Asa Mercer's efforts in the 1860s to import marriageable wom ...

'' (6 episodes, 1968–1969) * '' The Outcasts'' (2 episodes, 1968–1969) * ''

'' (9 episodes, 1967–1968) * ''

Love on a Rooftop ''Love on a Rooftop'' is an American sitcom about a newlywed couple, Dave and Julie Willis, and their humorous struggles to survive in San Francisco on Dave's apprentice architect's salary of $85.37 a week. Matters were complicated by the fact ...

'' (12 episodes, 1966–1967) * ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

'' (7 episodes, 1965–1966) * ''

Gidget Gidget () is a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner (based on his teenaged daughter, Kathy) in his 1957 novel, ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas''. The novel follows the adventures of a teenaged girl and her surfing frie ...

'' (8 episodes, 1965–1966) * ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually marrie ...

'' (5 episodes, 1965–1966) * ''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary an ...

'' (2 episodes, 1965) * ''

The Lieutenant ''The Lieutenant'' is an American television series, the first created by Gene Roddenberry. It aired on NBC on Saturday evenings in the 1963–1964 television schedule. It was produced by Arena Productions, one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most ...

'' - "O'Rourke" (1964) TV episode

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Swackhamer, E.W. 1927 births 1994 deaths American television directors People from Middletown Township, New Jersey Film directors from New Jersey