Rod Amateau Explained

Rod Amateau
Birth Name:Rodney Amateau
Birth Date:December 20, 1923
Birth Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Othername:Rodney Amateau
Spouse:
    Children:1
    Years Active:1950–1989
    Occupation:Film and television screenwriter, director, and producer

    Rodney Amateau (December 20, 1923 – June 29, 2003) was an American film and television screenwriter, director, and producer.

    Career

    Among the programs that he directed were The Dennis Day Show, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Mister Ed, Gilligan's Island, The Bob Cummings Show and The New Phil Silvers Show. He produced My Mother the Car and Supertrain, and wrote the story for the 1988 film Sunset. Amateau also directed a few episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, and appeared in a handful of episodes as an actor as well.

    In 1987, he directed, produced and co-wrote The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, which is considered to be one of the worst films ever made.

    Personal life

    From 1945 to 1949, he was married to actress Coleen Gray, who sued him for child support in 1955.[1] Amateau was then married to actress and screenwriter Joane Andre from 1950 to 1959. Together, they had one daughter.[2] From 1959 to 1962, he was married to Sandra Burns, daughter of George Burns and Gracie Allen.[3]

    Retirement and death

    Amateau retired from directing in 1989. He died from a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003 in Los Angeles, aged 79.[4]

    Filmography

    Film

    YearTitleDirectorProducerWriter
    1952The Bushwhackers
    Monsoon
    1969Hook, Line & Sinker
    1970Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You
    1971The Statue
    1972Where Does It Hurt?
    1975The Wilby Conspiracy
    1976Drive-In
    1978The Seniors
    1979Son of Hitler
    1984Lovelines
    1987The Garbage Pail Kids Movie
    1988Sunset

    TV

    YearTitle
    1955–1959The Bob Cummings Show
    1956–1958The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
    1959–1963The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
    1961–1966Mister Ed
    1963–1964The New Phil Silvers Show
    1965–1966My Mother the Car
    1965–1966O.K. Crackerby
    1979–1985The Dukes of Hazzard
    1979Supertrain (season 1, episode 2: "And a Cup of Kindness, Too")
    1983High School U.S.A.

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Coleen Gray profile. Tv.yahoo.com. 2013-12-19.
    2. Web site: McLellan . Dennis . 2003-07-02 . Rod Amateau, 79; Writer, Director, Producer of Sitcoms, Feature Films . 2023-01-17 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
    3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1567506/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm Sandra Burns profile
    4. News: Rod Amateau, 79; Writer, Director, Producer of Sitcoms, Feature Films. McLellan. Dennis. July 2, 2003. Los Angeles Times. October 24, 2015.