Rollin Augustus "Rod" Daniel III (August 4, 1942 β April 16, 2016) was an American television and film director, active from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. His films include the 1985
Michael J. Fox
Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...
comedy film ''
Teen Wolf
''Teen Wolf'' is a 1985 American coming-of-age romantic fantasy comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed ...
'', which was a considerable box office success.
Daniel, the son of a noted surgeon, was expected to follow in his father's footsteps. After returning to his native Tennessee from the Vietnam War, he chose to enter the advertising business, where he directed several commercials before moving to Los Angeles. There, his friendship with television producer
Hugh Wilson enabled him to start a career in the television industry as a director and producer for Wilson's sitcom ''
WKRP in Cincinnati
''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio broadcasting, radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson (director), Hugh Wilson ...
''. Daniel continued to work on shows like ''
Magnum, P.I.
''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...
'' and ''
Newhart
''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...
'', until he eventually grew restless with television following the failure of a sitcom he had worked on and chose to make the leap into feature films.
Daniel continued to direct throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with his other works including the comedies ''
Like Father Like Son'', ''
K-9'', ''
The Super'', and ''
Beethoven's 2nd
The Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, is a symphony in four movements written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1801 and 1802. The work is dedicated to Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky.
Background
Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written du ...
''. He continued to helm episodes of television as well, directing episodes of shows including ''
Everybody Loves Raymond
''Everybody Loves Raymond'' is an American sitcom television series created by Philip Rosenthal that aired on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005, with a total of 210 episodes spanning nine seasons. It was produced by Where's Lunch and ...
'' and ''
Caroline in the City''. His final film, ''
Home Alone 4
''Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House'' is a 2002 American made-for-television Christmas family comedy film directed by Rod Daniel, which first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002, as the first episode of the forty-seventh season of ''The Wonderful ...
'', premiered on television in late 2002, after which he retired from the entertainment industry. Daniel then moved to Tennessee for several years and began refocusing on his passion for
photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
and
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
. In later interviews he described his entertainment career in a negative light. Eventually, he moved to Chicago, where he died in April 2016 from complications of
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
.
Early life
Daniel was born as Rollin Augustus Daniel III in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
on August 4, 1942.
His father, Dr. Rollin A. Daniel Jr., was Chief of
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of organs inside the thoracic cavity β generally treatment of conditions of the heart ( heart disease), lungs (lung disease), and other pleural or mediastinal st ...
At
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
and a founding member of the
American Board of Thoracic Surgery The American Board of Thoracic Surgery is an American surgical organization devoted to surgery of the chest.Battle Ground Academy
Battle Ground Academy (BGA) is an independent college-preparatory school for grades K-12. BGA is located in Franklin, Tennessee, US. Founded in 1889, the school was originally located in part on the site of the Battle of Franklin in the America ...
in
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...
(near Nashville) and graduated in 1960.
He was inducted into the school's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2013.
He was a student at
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowanβ ...
for two years, but then transferred to
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
, where he earned a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
in 1964. Daniel said that although there was an expectation for him to be like his father, who had also attended Vanderbilt, he chose instead to enter the advertising business after returning to Nashville following his service in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
as a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
.
Daniel's first job in advertising was at the Nashville firm of Dawson, Daniels, Sullivan, & Dillon, where he began making commercials for one of their clients, department store chain
Cain-Sloan
Cain-Sloan Co. Inc. was a department store chain based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1903, merged with Allied Stores in 1955, and with Dillard's in 1987. It was a target of the 1960 Nashville sit-ins.
History
The sto ...
. Daniel soon accepted a job opportunity in Atlanta for a broadcast producer, but he eventually ended up cycling through jobs all over the city before eventually settling at production company Jayan Films. Although Daniel professed he was initially only interested in the business side of the company, he soon began directing commercials for it as well. Daniel then went to Chicago in 1976 to work at Topol, a commercial production company. He directed commercials for companies including
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a private, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is the oldest and largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was award ...
and
Procter & Gamble
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...
before heading to Los Angeles about one year later.
[
]
Career
While in Los Angeles, Daniel began working alongside television producer Hugh Wilson. Wilson had a new show in development, called ''WKRP in Cincinnati
''WKRP in Cincinnati'' is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio broadcasting, radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson (director), Hugh Wilson ...
'', and invited Daniel to watch the taping of the pilot. Daniel agreed to come, and while watching the taping, he felt that he "just instinctively knew how to do what they were doing so I pursued it aggressively." Daniel saw an opportunity to leave his job in commercials, and told Wilson that he wanted a job on the show if production went well. Wilson obliged, and gave Daniel the associate producer
A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...
position. Eventually, he moved up to director, and eventually directed 33 episodes over the series' run. Daniel found the show to be "a great training ground in terms of storyline and character. It really spoils you."[
After three years at ''WKRP'', Daniel then directed more episodic television, including episodes of shows like '']Newhart
''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...
'' and ''Magnum, P.I.
''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...
''. He directed several episodes of '' The Duck Factory'', starring Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
, but the series was unsuccessful, and Daniel decided to switch to films. In a 1985 interview with ''The Tennessean
''The Tennessean'' (known until 1972 as ''The Nashville Tennessean'') is a daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett, ...
'', Daniel opined that "On television there is some really good writing, but not much. Television is just a machine, a sausage machine. If you really want to do some quality work, you just don't have time."[ Daniel changed his agent, something he described as "almost an impossible move", and told them he wanted to make a film.][
A month after he changed agents, Daniel received the script to '']Teen Wolf
''Teen Wolf'' is a 1985 American coming-of-age romantic fantasy comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed ...
'' and enjoyed it. He met with Michael J. Fox
Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...
and "liked him instantly".[ According to Daniel, he was hired after every other director interviewed by ]20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
simply said the film was about a werewolf, while Daniel said it was about a father and son. Daniel told the Chicago Tribune that "a whole lot of ''Teen Wolf'' is who I wish I could have been, who I wanted my father to be more like." Shot over 25 days, ''Teen Wolf'' was a box office success upon its early fall release in 1985, grossing $80 million on a $1.4 million budget.[ Daniel reflected positively on the film, saying to ''The Tennessean'', "I'm so proud of ''Teen Wolf''. It was a chance for me to start over. It really was a well-written script. It makes a little statement. It's a clean, classy little movie."][
After ''Teen Wolf''s success, Daniel began searching for his next project. To ''The Tennessean'', he expressed his desire to be selective with his screenplay choices, something television had not allowed him to do.][ Daniel's next film was the 1987 comedy '' Like Father Like Son'', a film starring ]Kirk Cameron
Kirk Thomas Cameron (born October 12, 1970) is an American actor and evangelist. He first gained fame as a teen actor playing Mike Seaver on the ABC sitcom ''Growing Pains'' (1985β1992), a role for which he was nominated for two Golden Glob ...
and Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writ ...
that again allowed him to explore father-son themes.[ The film grossed $34 million at the domestic box office. After ''Like Father, Like Son'', he directed the 1989 film '' K-9'', a comedy starring ]Jim Belushi
James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001β2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983β1985), '' Total Security'' ...
. Critical reception was mostly negative, but the film grossed $78 million worldwide and spawned two direct-to-video sequels, ''K-911
''K-911'' is a 1999 American buddy cop comedy film released direct-to-video, a direct-sequel to '' K-9'', and the third installment in the ''K-9'' film series. It was directed by Charles T. Kanganis and stars James Belushi as Detective Michael ...
'' and '' K-9: P.I.'', both of which featured Belushi reprising his role.
Next, Daniel directed '' The Super'', released in 1991, which starred Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a variety of genres and for his collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in the films ''Ra ...
as a wealthy superintendent forced to live in one of his own poorly-maintained buildings. The film received negative reviews from critics and, produced at a cost of $22 million, failed to recoup its budget at the domestic box office, only taking in $11 million. Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 β April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
criticized Daniel's direction, saying that the cast deserved better, and that Daniel failed to deliver solid comic payoffs. Janet Maslin
Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...
was more positive and wrote that Daniel's direction was "snappy and broad" and that he offered many opportunities for Pesci to "show off his talents for physical clowning".
The next film directed by Daniel was the 1993 film ''Beethoven's 2nd
The Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, is a symphony in four movements written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1801 and 1802. The work is dedicated to Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky.
Background
Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written du ...
'', the sequel to the successful comedy film ''Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
''. It was his final theatrical film. The film was not a critical success, but it ended up grossing $53 million domestically and $64 million in foreign markets, leading to a total gross of $118 million. "The Day I Fall in Love", an original song performed by James Ingram
James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 β January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Awards, Academy Award nominee for Academy Award for Best Original ...
and Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
for the film, was nominated for an Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, a Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, and a Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
.
After ''Beethoven's 2nd'', Daniel signed on as director for military comedy ''McHale's Navy
''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...
'', based on the television series of the same name; he was eventually replaced by Bryan Spicer
Bryan Spicer (born April 9, 1964) is an American film and television director. As a television director some his credits include ''Castle'', '' 24'', ''House'', '' Heroes'', ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', '' Hawaii Five-0'', and ''Magnum P.I ...
. He returned to directing television in the 1990s, including episodes of shows like '' Caroline in the City'', ''Everybody Loves Raymond
''Everybody Loves Raymond'' is an American sitcom television series created by Philip Rosenthal that aired on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005, with a total of 210 episodes spanning nine seasons. It was produced by Where's Lunch and ...
'', and ''Suddenly Susan
''Suddenly Susan'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from September 19, 1996, to December 26, 2000. The series was created by Clyde Phillips and starred Brooke Shields in her first regular series. Shields played Susan Keane, ...
''. He also directed several television films, such as ''Genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for future works, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
'' and ''Alley Cats Strike
''Alley Cats Strike'' is a Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on March 18, 2000. Directed by Rod Daniel, it stars Kyle Schmid, Robert Ri'chard, and Kaley Cuoco.
Plot
A junior high school basketball game between the cities of East Ap ...
'', both for the Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
. In 2002, his final directing credit, the television film ''Home Alone 4
''Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House'' is a 2002 American made-for-television Christmas family comedy film directed by Rod Daniel, which first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002, as the first episode of the forty-seventh season of ''The Wonderful ...
'', premiered. After the film aired, Daniel retired from the business, noting to the ''Tribune'' that he anticipated to do much more work but found himself receiving very few offers. "And I know why: If you work in the arts for a living, you are paid to know what's in the air, what the mood is, the whole societal thing. And I don't care how hip you are, when it's over, it's over. I couldn't artistically reflect how the world changed."
Personal life
Daniel married Martha "Marti" Mueller in 1965 and they remained married until Daniel's death. They had two children, Lucas and John. Lucas spoke warmly of his childhood, believing that Daniel's ability to channel his feelings and issues about his own father in ''Teen Wolf'' had helped him.[ Daniel and his family had lived in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Tarzana.][ After Daniel's retirement from the industry, he moved back to a rural home in Franklin, Tennessee for a few years, but found himself longing for city living.] He then moved to downtown Chicago, where he lived the remainder of his life. He had a vacation home in Glen Arbor, Michigan
Glen Arbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Glen Arbor Township, Leelanau County, Michigan, United States. A small tourist town, Glen Arbor lies on an isthmus between Lake Michigan and Glen Lake. It is adjacent to S ...
which is on a small strip of land between Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
and Glen Lake
Glen Lake is a lake located in Northern Michigan. Located in the southwestern Leelanau Peninsula, the lake is directly adjacent to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and is, at its closed, about from Lake Michigan. The lake consists of two ...
. In the summer he enjoyed salmon fishing there.
Daniel was a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...
.
Daniel was an amateur musician, and played bass in a rock group called "The Wild Hots". The band consisted of a group of former Battleground Academy and Vanderbilt University students with whom he performed in the 1960s. They continued to rejoin for a reunion show about every five years, often without Daniel who was busy in California making films. When he moved back to Tennessee, he reunited with his band members and began performing around Nashville, mostly for charity functions.
Another of Daniel's hobbies was photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
. He did fine art photographs, mostly black and white, which are largely scenes of rural America. To get his images, he often took time off to ride his Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
motorcycle through the rural southwest U.S. for weeks, capturing scenes of forgotten towns and empty buildings. His work has been exhibited in juried shows and galleries in the U.S.
Daniel was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2002. He underwent deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure involving the placement of a medical device called a neurostimulator, which sends electrical impulses, through implanted electrodes, to specific targets in the brain (the brain nucleu ...
surgery in 2012. He was an advocate for research on the disorder and participated in a volunteer program to help other patients with the disease. Daniel died at his Chicago home from complications of Parkinson's disease on April 16, 2016. He was 73 years old.
Filmography
* ''Teen Wolf
''Teen Wolf'' is a 1985 American coming-of-age romantic fantasy comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed ...
'' (1985)
* '' Like Father Like Son'' (1987)
* '' K-9'' (1989)
* '' The Super'' (1991)
* ''Beethoven's 2nd
The Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, is a symphony in four movements written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1801 and 1802. The work is dedicated to Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky.
Background
Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written du ...
'' (1993)
* ''Genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for future works, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
'' (1999 TV film)
* ''Alley Cats Strike
''Alley Cats Strike'' is a Disney Channel Original Movie that premiered on March 18, 2000. Directed by Rod Daniel, it stars Kyle Schmid, Robert Ri'chard, and Kaley Cuoco.
Plot
A junior high school basketball game between the cities of East Ap ...
'' (2000 TV film)
* '' How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale'' (2000 TV film)
* ''Home Alone 4
''Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House'' is a 2002 American made-for-television Christmas family comedy film directed by Rod Daniel, which first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002, as the first episode of the forty-seventh season of ''The Wonderful ...
'' (2002 TV film)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniel, Rod
1942 births
2016 deaths
American television directors
United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Deaths from Parkinson's disease
Neurological disease deaths in Illinois
People from Nashville, Tennessee
Vanderbilt University alumni
United States Army officers
Film directors from Tennessee
Comedy film directors