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John Francis "Jon" Cassar (born 27 April 1958) is a Maltese-Canadian television director and producer, known for his work on the first seven seasons of '' 24''. In 2006, he won 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 work on the episode " Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.". In 2011, he produced and directed all episodes of the Canadian-American miniseries '' The Kennedys'', for which he won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie.


Early life

Jon Francis Cassar was born in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
on 27 April 1958, and immigrated to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in 1963 with his mother, Elda (née Segona), and father, Frank Cassar. He has two younger siblings, Bernard Cassar and Kristine Palsis. Cassar is a graduate of
Algonquin College Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is a publicly funded English-language college located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The college serves the National Capital Region and the outlying areas of Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Upst ...
in
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.


Career

After '' La Femme Nikita'' ended, for which he directed 14 episodes, Cassar began working as director and executive producer on the
FOX Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
drama-thriller series '' 24''. In 2006, he won 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 the episode " Day 5: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.". In addition, he was nominated for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series since its institution in 1951. The award goes to the producers of the series. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys cerem ...
four years in a row (2003–06), winning one in 2006. He directed the spin-off feature film, '' 24: Redemption'', in 2008. Following the completion of the seventh season of ''24'', Cassar left the series to focus on other projects. He joined the FOX science fiction series '' Terra Nova'' in 2010, as a producer and director. In 2012, Cassar won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Television Film and the Directors Guild of Canada Award for Outstanding Direction – Television Movie/Miniseries for his work on the 2011 miniseries '' The Kennedys''. For producing the series, he was also nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie. In 2014, it was announced that he would return for ''24'' follow-up event series, '' 24: Live Another Day'', which debuted on May 5, 2014. In 2015, Cassar joined the ABC anthology series '' Wicked City'' as an executive producer and director.


Personal life

Cassar is married to Kristina Kinderman with whom he has two children: photographer Zak Cassar and actor Alexis "Lex" Cassar. Zak is married to singer
Betty Who Jessica Anne Newham (born 5 October 1991), known by her stage name Betty Who, is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter. After independently releasing her debut single, " Somebody Loves You" (2012), and her debut extended play, ''The M ...
and Lex's wife is actress
Sprague Grayden Sprague Grayden (born July 21, 1980) is an American actress. She played schoolteacher Heather Lisinski in the television drama '' Jericho'', Karen Kawalski in ''John Doe'', first daughter Olivia Taylor in the television thriller '' 24'', and K ...
. He is the co-founder of the Motion Picture Industry Charitable Alliance, which hosts an annual charity auction called "Lights, Camera, Auction".


Filmography


Director credits


Television

* ''
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
'' (2022; 1 episode) * '' Medici: Masters of Florence'' (2018; first four episodes of the second season) * ''
The Orville ''The Orville'' is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Seth MacFarlane, who also stars as series protagonist Ed Mercer, an officer in the Planetary Union's line of exploratory space vessels in the 25th century ...
'' (2017-2019; 3 episodes) * '' 24: Legacy'' (2017; 4 episodes) * '' The Kennedys: After Camelot'' (2017; 3 episodes) * '' Wicked City'' (2015; 8 episodes) * '' Between'' (2015; 2 episodes) * '' 24: Live Another Day'' (2014; 6 episodes) * ''
Nikita Nikita may refer to: * Nikita (given name) * Nikita, Crimea, a town in Crimea * Nikita the Tanner, a character in East Slavic folklore Film and television *''Little Nikita'', a 1988 film * ''La Femme Nikita'' (film), also known as ''Nikita'', a 19 ...
'' (2013; episode: "Reunion") * ''
Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
'' (2012–2013; 2 episodes) * ''
Person of Interest "Person of interest" is a term used by law enforcement in the United States, Canada, and other countries when identifying someone possibly involved in a criminal investigation who has not been arrested or formally accused of a crime. It has no leg ...
'' (2012; episode: "Bad Code") * ''
Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...
'' (2012; 2 episodes) * ''
Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch (haptic perception), as well as temperature (thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It is ...
'' (2012; episode: "Tessellations") * '' Terra Nova'' (2011; 5 episodes) * '' The Kennedys'' (2011; 8 episodes) * ''
Human Target The Human Target is the name of two fictional character (arts), characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, while the second is private investigator and bodyguard Christopher Chance who assumes the identit ...
'' (2010; episode: "Lockdown") * ''
Fringe Fringe may refer to: Arts * Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, known as "the Fringe" * Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival * Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre * The Fringe, the ...
'' (2009–2012; 2 episodes) * ''Washington Field'' (2009; unsold pilot) * ''
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
'' (2009; episode: "Haunted") * ''Company Man'' (2007; unsold pilot) * '' 24'' (2001–2009; 59 episodes) * '' The Dead Zone'' (2002; 2 episodes) * '' Mutant X'' (2001–2002; 3 episodes) * '' Sheena'' (2000–2001; 3 episodes) * ''
Queen of Swords The Queen of Swords is a card in the Suit of Swords, part of the Minor Arcana set of the Tarot. Tarot cards are used throughout much of Europe to play tarot card games. In English-speaking countries, Tarot cards are utilized primarily for div ...
'' (2000; 2 episodes) * '' Code Name: Eternity'' (2000; episode: "Death Trap") * '' Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal'' (2000; episode: "GeoCore") * '' Profiler'' (1999; 2 episodes) * ''
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
'' (1999; episode: "Fallen Angels") * '' La Femme Nikita'' (1997–2001; 14 episodes) * '' F/X: The Series'' (1997; episode: "Medea") * ''
Baywatch Nights ''Baywatch Nights'' is an American police and science-fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the television series, '' ...
'' (1996–1997; 4 episodes) * ''
Due South ''Due South'' is a Canadian crime comedy-drama television series created by Paul Haggis, and produced by Alliance Communications from its premiere on April 26, 1994, to its conclusion after four seasons on March 14, 1999. The series starred Pau ...
'' (1996; episode: "Body Language") * ''
The Hardy Boys The Hardy Boys, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional characters who appear in several mystery series for children and teens. The series revolves around teenagers who are amateur sleuths, solving cases that stumped their adult counterpa ...
'' (1995; 2 episodes) * ''
Pointman ''Pointman'' is a TV movie pilot and TV series on the Prime Time Entertainment Network in 1994 to 1995. The premise of the main character is he is framed and convicted of fraud while he was an investment banker. Eventually cleared, Constantine ...
'' (1995; 5 episodes) * ''
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 ...
'' (1995; 4 episodes) * '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' (1994–1996; 12 episodes) * ''
Forever Knight ''Forever Knight'' is a Canadian television series about Nick Knight, an 800-year-old vampire working as a police detective in modern-day Toronto, Ontario. Wracked with guilt for centuries of killing others, he seeks redemption by working as a ho ...
'' (1992–1996; 7 episodes)


Film

* '' When the Bough Breaks'' (2016) * '' Forsaken'' (2015) * '' 24: Redemption'' (2008) * '' Danger Beneath the Sea'' (2001) * ''Assault on Death Mountain'' (1999) * ''
CHiPs '99 ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The serie ...
'' (1998) * ''The Ultimate Weapon'' (1998) * ''Assault on Devil's Island'' (1997) * ''The Final Goal Part 2: Final Goalier'' (1996) * ''The Final Goal'' (1995)


Producer credits

* ''
The Orville ''The Orville'' is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Seth MacFarlane, who also stars as series protagonist Ed Mercer, an officer in the Planetary Union's line of exploratory space vessels in the 25th century ...
'' (2019–present; 14 episodes; Executive producer from Season 2) * '' 24: Legacy'' (2017; 12 episodes) * '' The Kennedys: After Camelot'' (2017; 4 episodes) * '' Wicked City'' (2015; 8 episodes) * ''Rio Heat'' (2015) * '' 24: Live Another Day'' (2014; 12 episodes) * '' Terra Nova'' (2011; 13 episodes) * '' The Kennedys'' (2011; 8 episodes) * '' 24: Redemption'' (2008) * '' 24: Day 6 Debrief'' (2007; 5 episodes) * '' 24'' (2002–09; 147 episodes)


Camera credits

* '' PCU'' (1994; camera operator) * ''
Trapped in Paradise ''Trapped in Paradise'' is a 1994 American Christmas-themed crime comedy film written and directed by George Gallo and starring Nicolas Cage, Jon Lovitz, and Dana Carvey. Plot At Christmas time, New York City convicts Dave and Alvin Firpo are par ...
'' (1994; camera operator) * ''
Clearcut Clearcutting, clearfelling or clearcut logging is a forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, it is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ...
'' (1992; Steadicam and camera operator) * ''
The Cutting Edge ''The Cutting Edge'' is a 1992 American sports-romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a wealthy, spoiled figure skater (played by Moira Kelly) who is paired with an injury-sidelined i ...
'' (1992; camera operator) * '' Termini Station'' (1991; camera operator) * ''
Millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
'' (1989; Steadicam operator) * '' The Dream Team'' (1989; Steadicam operator)


Awards and nominations


References


External links

*
2007 Audio Interview at Your Video Store Shelf
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassar, Jon 1958 births Living people Canadian television directors Canadian television producers Algonquin College alumni Primetime Emmy Award winners Directors Guild of America Award winners Maltese emigrants to Canada Maltese television directors Maltese television producers