Jack Bender (born September 25, 1949) is 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,

television producer A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of video production on a television program. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks, but upon ...

and former

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 ...

best known for his work as a director on ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'', ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' and '' Game of Thrones''.

Biography

Bender grew up in a secular

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. His father was a furrier to the Hollywood community. He studied art with Los Angeles artist Martin Lubner (spouse of actress

Joanna Merlin Joanna Merlin (born Joann Ratner; July 15, 1931) is an American actress and casting director who has worked with Stephen Sondheim and starred in the original Broadway production of ''Fiddler on the Roof''. She has written two acting guides and is ...

) and then went into acting "because it seemed like what I could do and make a living." As an actor, Bender guest-starred on ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

'', ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a p ...

'' and ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Mo ...

''. He co-starred in ''

The Million Dollar Duck ''The Million Dollar Duck'' (also titled as ''$1,000,000 Duck'') is a 1971 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions based on the goose that lays golden eggs scenario. It was directed by Vincent McEveety, and stars Dean Jones, Sa ...

'', ''

Savage Savage may refer to: Places Antarctica * Savage Glacier, Ellsworth Land * Savage Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Savage Ridge, Victoria Land United States * Savage, Maryland, an unincorporated community * Savage, Minnesota, a city * Savage, Mi ...

'' and ''McNaughton's Daughter''. He then went into directing, working on a number of

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, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

. He directed the popular

slasher film A slasher film is a genre of horror films involving a killer stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools like knife, chainsaw, scalpel, etc. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as ...

Child's Play 3 ''Child's Play 3'' is a 1991 American slasher film and the third installment in the '' Child's Play'' film series. The film is written by Don Mancini and directed by Jack Bender. Brad Dourif once again reprised his role as Chucky from the previo ...

'' before becoming an executive producer and lead director on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

TV series ''

'', directing 38 episodes of the show, including the series finale. Bender has also directed on other popular shows such as ''

'', '' Carnivàle'', ''

Alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the ...

'' and ''

Boston Public ''Boston Public'' is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. Set in Boston, the series centers on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school in the Boston Public Schools district. It feature ...

''. In recent years he was an executive producer and lead director on the TV series '' Under the Dome'' (2013) and '' The Last Ship'' (2014–15). In 2016, Bender directed the fifth and sixth episodes of the sixth season of '' Game of Thrones'', followed by a limited TV series adaptation of Stephen King's novel ''

Mr. Mercedes ''Mr. Mercedes'' is a novel by American writer Stephen King. He calls it his first hard-boiled detective book. It was published on June 3, 2014. It is the first volume in a trilogy, followed in 2015 by ''Finders Keepers (King novel), Finders Keep ...

''. Bender received nominations for the ''

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series is presented to the best directing of a television drama series, usually for a particular episode.Though this category is the dominant one in which dramatic directing has been ...

'' for his direction of the ''

'' episodes "

Live Together, Die Alone "Live Together, Die Alone" is the second season finale of the ABC television series '' Lost'', consisting of the 23rd and 24th episodes of the second season. It is also the 48th and 49th episodes overall. The episode was written by Damon Lindel ...

", "

Through the Looking Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...

" and the series finale "

The End The End may refer to: Films * ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine * ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds * ''The End'' (1997 film), a Canadian film of 1997 * ''The End'' (1998 film), a skateboarding document ...

". He was also nominated for the '' Game of Thrones'' episode " The Door".

Family/Personal life

Bender is married to Rabbi Laura Owens of B’nai Horin of Los Angeles. They have two daughters, Hannah and Sophie Owens-Bender.

Director

*''

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 ...

'' (1977) TV series *'' The Paper Chase'' (1978) TV series *''A Real Naked Lady'' (1980) *'' Falcon Crest'' (1981) TV series *'' Fame'' (1982) TV series *''

King's Crossing ''King's Crossing'' is an American nighttime soap opera which aired on ABC from January 16 to February 27, 1982 on Saturday night at 8:00pm for seven episodes. Its roots can be found in the 1980 drama ''Secrets of Midland Heights'', which aired ...

'' (1982) TV series *''In Love with an Older Woman'' (1982) (TV) *''Two Kinds of Love'' (1983) (TV film) *''Shattered Vows'' (1984) (TV) *'' Deadly Messages'' (1985) (TV) *''Letting Go'' (1985) (TV) *''

The Midnight Hour ''The Midnight Hour'' is a 1985 American made-for-television comedy horror film directed by Jack Bender and starring Shari Belafonte-Harper, LeVar Burton, Peter DeLuise, and Dedee Pfeiffer. Its plot focuses on a small New England town that ...

'' (1985) (TV) *''Side by Side'' (1988) (TV) *''Tricks of the Trade'' (1988/I) (TV) *'' Charlie'' (1989) (TV) *'' My Brother's Wife'' (1989) (TV) *'' Northern Exposure'' (1990) TV series *''

Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ...

'' (1990) TV series **Episode "The Game Is Chicken" **Episode "Home and Away" **Episode "Sentenced to Life" *''

The Dreamer of Oz ''The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story'' is a 1990 American made-for-television biographical film starring John Ritter as Lyman Frank Baum, the author who wrote the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and thirteen other Oz books. ...

'' (1990) (TV film) *''

The Perfect Tribute Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews (April 2, 1860 – August 2, 1936) was an American writer. She is best known for a widely read short story about US President Abraham Lincoln, "The Perfect Tribute", which was adapted for film twice and sold 600,000 cop ...

'' (1991) (TV film) *''

'' (1991) *''Love Can Be Murder'' (1992) (TV film) *'' Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times'' (1993) TV series *'' Armed and Innocent'' (1994) (TV movie) *'' Gambler V: Playing for Keeps'' (1994) (TV film) *'' Family Album'' (1994) (TV film) *''Lone Justice 2'' (1995) *''

New York News ''New York News'' is an American newspaper drama television series created by Michelle Ashford, which was broadcast in the United States by CBS from September 28 to November 30, 1995 as part of its 1995 fall lineup. Cast * Gregory Harrison a ...

'' (1995) TV Series *'' Nothing Lasts Forever'' (1995) (miniseries) *'' A Face to Die For'' (1996) (TV) *'' Sweet Dreams'' (1996) (TV film) *'' Profiler'' (1996) TV series **Episode "Cycle Of Violence" **Episode "It Cuts Both Ways" **Episode "Modus Operandi" **Episode "Old Acquaintance" *''Friends 'Til the End'' (1997) (TV film) *''

Killing Mr. Griffin ''Killing Mr. Griffin'' is a 1978 suspense novel by Lois Duncan about a group of teenaged students at a New Mexico high school, who plan to kidnap their strict English teacher, Mr. Griffin. Duncan developed the story from the character of Mark, ...

'' (1997) (TV film) *''A Call to Remember'' (1997) (TV movie) *'' Felicity'' (1998) TV series **Episode 2.21 "The Aretha Theory" **Episode 2.23 "The Biggest Deal There Is" **Episode 3.02 "The Anti-Natalie Intervention" *''The Tempest'' (1998) (TV film) *''

'' (1999) TV series **Episode 3.05 " Another Toothpick" **Episode 3.10 " ...To Save Us All from Satan's Power" **Episode 4.04 "

The Weight "The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group the Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album '' Music from Big Pink''. It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian ...

" **Episode 6.03 "

Mayham "Mayham" is the 68th episode of the HBO original series ''The Sopranos'' and the third of the show's sixth season. Written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Jack Bender, it originally aired on March 26, 2006. Starring * James Gandolfini as Ton ...

" *''

It Came from the Sky ''It Came from the Sky'' is a 1999 American-Canadian made-for-television drama film starring John Ritter, Yasmine Bleeth, Christopher Lloyd and JoBeth Williams. Plot Donald Bridges (John Ritter) and his wife Alice (JoBeth Williams) have a young ...

'' (1999) (TV) *'' Judging Amy'' (1999) TV series **Episode 1.02 "Short Calendar" **Episode 1.15 "Culture Clash" **Episode 1.17 "Drawing the Line" **Episode 2.09 "The Undertow" **Episode 2.16 "Everybody Falls Down" **Episode 3.02 "Off the Grid" *''My Little Assassin'' (1999) (TV film) *''The David Cassidy Story'' (2000) (TV film) *'' That's Life'' (2000) TV series *''

'' (2000) TV series *''

'' (2001) TV series **Episode 1.07 "Color-Blind" **Episode 1.10 "Spirit" **Episode 1.12 "The Box, Part 1" **Episode 1.13 "The Box, Part 2" **Episode 2.13 "Phase One" **Episode 3.03 "Reunion" **Episode 3.07 "Prelude" **Episode 3.10 "Remnants" **Episode 3.15 "Façade" **Episode 3.18 "Unveiled" **Episode 3.20 "Blood Ties" *''

Presidio Med ''Presidio Med'' is an American medical drama television series created by John Wells and Lydia Woodward, that aired on CBS from September 24, 2002 to January 24, 2003. The series centers on a San Francisco hospital. It was created by John Wells ...

'' (2002) TV series **Episode "Breathless" *''

Boomtown A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...

'' (2002) TV Series (episode "Blackout") *''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'' (2003) (TV film) *'' Carnivàle'' (2003) TV series **Episode 1.09 "Insomnia" **Episode 2.02 "Alamogordo, NM" *'' Joan of Arcadia'' (2003) TV series *''

The Lyon's Den ''The Lyon's Den'' is an American legal drama television series set in Washington, D.C. The legal drama starred Rob Lowe as a lawyer named Jack Turner, newly appointed as partner of a long-established law firm that, as the plot revealed, harbored ...

'' (2003) TV series *''

'' (2004–2010) TV series **Episode 1.03 "

Tabula Rasa ''Tabula rasa'' (; "blank slate") is the theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception. Epistemological proponents of ''tabula rasa'' disagree with the doctri ...

" **Episode 1.04 "

Walkabout Walkabout is a rite of passage in Australian Aboriginal society, during which males undergo a journey during adolescence, typically ages 10 to 16, and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months to make the spiritual and traditiona ...

" **Episode 1.07 "

The Moth The Moth is a non-profit group based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Founded in 1997, the organization presents a wide range of theme-based storytelling events across the United States and abroad, often featuring ...

" **Episode 1.12 " Whatever the Case May Be" **Episode 1.16 " Outlaws" **Episode 1.23 " Exodus: Part 1" **Episode 1.24/1.25 " Exodus: Part 2" **Episode 2.01 "

Man of Science, Man of Faith "Man of Science, Man of Faith" is the first episode of the Lost (season 2), second season of ''Lost (TV series), Lost'' and the 26th episode overall. The episode was directed by Jack Bender and written by Damon Lindelof. It first aired on Septemb ...

" **Episode 2.03 "

Orientation Orientation may refer to: Positioning in physical space * Map orientation, the relationship between directions on a map and compass directions * Orientation (housing), the position of a building with respect to the sun, a concept in building de ...

" **Episode 2.12 " Fire and Water" **Episode 2.15 "

Maternity Leave Parental leave, or family leave, is an employee benefit available in almost all countries. The term "parental leave" may include maternity, Paternity (law), paternity, and adoption leave; or may be used distinctively from "maternity leave" an ...

" **Episode 2.18 "

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

" **Episode 2.23/2.24 "

" **Episode 3.01 "

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in ...

" **Episode 3.05 " The Cost of Living" **Episode 3.08 " Flashes Before Your Eyes" **Episode 3.13 "

The Man from Tallahassee "The Man from Tallahassee" is the 13th episode of the 3rd season of ''Lost'', and the 62nd episode overall. It was aired on March 21, 2007, on ABC. The episode was written by Drew Goddard and Jeff Pinkner and directed by Jack Bender. The charact ...

" **Episode 3.16 " One of Us" **Episode 3.22/3.23 "

" **Episode 4.01 " The Beginning of the End" **Episode 4.03 "

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Eco ...

" **Episode 4.05 "

The Constant "The Constant" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the American Broadcasting Company's (ABC) serial drama television series ''Lost'', and the 77th episode overall. It was broadcast on February 28, 2008, on ABC in the United States and ...

" **Episode 4.09 "

The Shape of Things to Come ''The Shape of Things to Come'' is a work of science fiction by British writer H. G. Wells, published in 1933. It takes the form of a future history which ends in 2106. Synopsis A long economic slump causes a major war that leaves Europe dev ...

" **Episode 4.13/4.14 " There's No Place Like Home, Part 2" **Episode 5.02 " The Lie" **Episode 5.07 "

The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" is the seventh television episode of the fifth season of ABC's '' Lost''. The 93rd episode of the show overall, it aired on February 25, 2009, on ABC in the United States, being simulcast on A in Canada. T ...

" **Episode 5.09 "

Namaste ''Namaste'' (, Devanagari: नमस्ते), sometimes called ''namaskar'' and ''namaskaram'', is a customary Hindu non-contact manner of respectfully greeting and honouring a person or group, used at any time of day. It is found on the In ...

" **Episode 5.13 " Some Like It Hoth" **Episode 5.16/5.17 " The Incident" **Episode 6.01/6.02 "

LA X La X is a Colombian music radio brand for three stations operated and owned by Todelar. The station in Bogotá airs an English-language adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging fr ...

" **Episode 6.05 " Lighthouse" **Episode 6.08 "

Recon Recon may refer to: * Reconnaissance, a military term for gathering information * ''Halo 3: Recon'', a standalone expansion for the video game ''Halo 3'' * Recon (Lost), "Recon" (''Lost''), the eighth episode of the sixth season of ''Lost'' * Re ...

" **Episode 6.11 " Happily Ever After" **Episode 6.14 " The Candidate" **Episode 6.17/6.18 "

" *''

Alcatraz Alcatraz Island () is a small island in San Francisco Bay, offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, and a military pris ...

'' (2012) TV series **Episode 1.02 "Ernest Cobb" **Episode 1.03 "Kit Nelson" **Episode 1.10 "Clarence Montgomery" **Episode 1.11 "Webb Porter" *'' Under the Dome'' (2013) TV series **Episode 1.02 "The Fire" **Episode 1.05 "Blue on Blue" **Episode 1.08 "Thicker Than Water" **Episode 1.13 "Curtains" **Episode 2.01 "Heads Will Roll" **Episode 2.06 "In the Dark" **Episode 2.08 "Awakening" **Episode 2.11 "Black Ice" **Episode 2.13 "Go Now" *'' The Last Ship'' (2014) TV series **Episode 1.02 "Welcome to Gitmo" **Episode 1.03 "Dead Reckoning" **Episode 1.04 "We'll Get There" **Episode 1.09 "Trials" **Episode 2.01 "Unreal City" **Episode 2.02 "Fight the Ship" **Episode 2.05 "Achilles" **Episode 2.13 "A More Perfect Union" *'' Game of Thrones'' (2016) TV series **Episode 6.5 " The Door" **Episode 6.6 "

Blood of My Blood "Blood of My Blood" is the sixth episode of the sixth season of HBO's fantasy television series ''Game of Thrones'', and the 56th overall. The episode was written by Bryan Cogman, and directed by Jack Bender. Bran Stark and Meera Reed are resc ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bender, Jack American film directors American television directors American television producers Jewish American male actors Living people University of Southern California alumni 1949 births 21st-century American Jews