Fielder Cook (March 9, 1923 – June 20, 2003) was an American television and film director, producer, and writer whose 1971 television film ''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' spawned the series ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book '' Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...

''.

Biography and career

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Cook graduated with honor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature from Washington and Lee University, then studied Elizabethan Drama at the University of Birmingham in England. He returned to the United States and began his career in the early days of television, directing many episodes of such

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a di ...

as '' Lux Video Theater'', ''

The Kaiser Aluminum Hour ''The Kaiser Aluminum Hour'' is a dramatic anthology television series which was broadcast in prime time in the United States during the 1956-57 season by NBC. ''The Kaiser Aluminum Hour'' was shown on alternate Tuesday nights at 9:30 pm Easte ...

'', '' Playhouse 90'', ''

Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...

'', and ''

Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chee ...

''. In later years, he directed the television movies ''Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys'', ''A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story'', ''Gauguin the Savage'', ''

Family Reunion A family reunion is an occasion when many members of an extended family congregate. Sometimes reunions are held regularly, for example on the same date of every year. A typical family reunion will assemble for a meal, some recreation and discuss ...

'', ''

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ''I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'' is a 1969 autobiography describing the young and early years of American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a seven-volume series, it is a coming-of-age story that illustrates how strength of charact ...

'', ''Will There Really Be a Morning?'', and others; adaptations of ''The Philadelphia Story'', '' Harvey'', ''

Brigadoon ''Brigadoon'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song " Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a ...

'', ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine T ...

'', '' The Price'', ''

Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American List of Christmas films, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on ...

'', and '' The Member of the Wedding''; and episodes of ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'', '' The Defenders'', and ''

Beacon Hill Beacon Hill may refer to: Places Canada * Beacon Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, a neighbourhood * Beacon Hill Park, a park in Victoria, British Columbia * Beacon Hill, Saskatchewan * Beacon Hill, Montreal, a neighbourhood in Beaconsfield, Quebec United ...

''. Cook's credits for feature films include '' A Big Hand for the Little Lady'', '' How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life'' (1968), '' Prudence and the Pill'' (1968, co-director), ''

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler ''From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler'' is a novel by E. L. Konigsburg. The book follows siblings Claudia and Jamie Kincaid as they run away from home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It was publishe ...

'' (1973), '' Eagle in a Cage'', and ''Seize the Day''. Cook died in Charlotte, North Carolina from complications from a stroke.

Selected filmography

* ''

Patterns A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated li ...

'' (1956) * '' Home Is the Hero'' (1959) * '' The Philadelphia Story'' (TV movie - 1959) * ''A String of Beads'' (TV movie - 1961) * ''The Farmer's Daughter'' (TV movie - 1962) * ''Focus'' (TV movie - 1962) * ''The Fifty Minute Hour'' (TV movie - 1962) * ''

'' (TV movie - 1966) * '' A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (1966) * '' How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life'' (1968) * '' Prudence and the Pill'' (1968) * ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...

'': '' Teacher, Teacher'' (1969) * ''Mirror, Mirror Off the Wall'' (TV movie - 1969) * ''Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster'' (TV movie - 1971) * '' Goodbye, Raggedy Ann'' (TV movie - 1971) * ''Neighbors'' (TV movie - 1971) * ''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'' (TV movie - 1971) * '' Eagle in a Cage'' (1972) * ''

The Hands of Cormac Joyce ''The Hands of Cormac Joyce'' is a 1972 made-for-television movie (Hallmark Hall of Fame) directed by Fielder Cook. Plot A proud fisherman off the Irish Coast fights to save his land from an approaching storm as other villagers evacuate to the m ...

'' (TV movie - 1972) * ''

'' (1973) * ''

'' (TV movie - 1973) * ''Pomroy's People'' (TV movie - 1973) * ''This Is the West That Was'' (TV movie - 1974) * ''Miles to Go Before I Sleep'' (TV movie - 1975) * ''

Valley Forge Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General officer, General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphi ...

'' (TV movie - 1975) * ''The Rivalry'' (TV movie - 1975) * ''Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys'' (TV movie - 1976) * ''Beauty and the Beast'' (TV movie - 1976) * ''A Love Affair: The Eleanor & Lou Gehrig Story'' (TV movie - 1978) * ''

Too Far to Go ''Too Far to Go'' is a collection of short stories by the American author John Updike published in 1979 in conjunction with the showing of a two-hour television movie on the NBC network with Blythe Danner, Michael Moriarty, Kathryn Walker and Gle ...

'' (TV movie - 1979) * ''

'' (TV movie - 1979) * ''Gauguin the Savage'' (TV movie - 1980) * ''Family Reunion'' (TV movie - 1981) * ''Will There Really Be a Morning?'' (TV movie - 1983) * '' Why Me?'' (1984) * '' Seize the Day'' (1986) * ''A Special Friendship'' (TV movie - 1987) * ''Circus'' (TV movie - 1988) * '' The Member of the Wedding'' (1997)

Awards and nominations

*1959 9th Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear Award ('' Home Is the Hero'', nominee) *1963 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama (''Big Deal in Laredo'' on ''The DuPont Show of the Month'', nominee) *1967 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety or Music (''Brigadoon'', winner) *1967 Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Program (''Brigadoon'', winner) *1969 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama (''Teacher, Teacher'' on

, nominee) *1971 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama (''The Price'' on

, winner) *1972 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama (''The Homecoming: A Christmas Story'', nominee) *1976 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (''

'', nominee) *1977 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Special Program (''Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys'', nominee) *1987

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...

Grand Jury Prize for Drama ('' Seize the Day'', nominee)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Fielder American television directors Television producers from Georgia (U.S. state) American television writers American male television writers American film directors Emmy Award winners Writers from Atlanta Washington and Lee University alumni 1923 births 2003 deaths Alumni of the University of Birmingham Screenwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American male writers