Oscar Rudolph - Turner Classic Movies

Oscar Rudolph


Biography

Oscar Rudolph was a pioneering television director who made infrequent departures to the big screen over his decades-spanning career. He began in show business as an actor, mostly in uncredited roles, as in the 1935 Cecil B. DeMille film "The Crusades," eventually appearing, with little consequence, in more than 35 features. Eventually, Rudolph settled on the other side of the camera, in...

Biography

Oscar Rudolph was a pioneering television director who made infrequent departures to the big screen over his decades-spanning career. He began in show business as an actor, mostly in uncredited roles, as in the 1935 Cecil B. DeMille film "The Crusades," eventually appearing, with little consequence, in more than 35 features. Eventually, Rudolph settled on the other side of the camera, initially as a second unit/assistant director, a job he held in more than 25 pictures. In '52, however, television afforded Rudolph the opportunity to helm episodes of series such as "The Hunter" and "My Hero," and this led to his directing the sci-fi feature "The Rocket Man" in '54. During the mid-'50s, Rudolph contributed to episodes of the TV shows "Private Secretary" and "The Lone Ranger," and more series work included a TV version of "The Thin Man" and "The Donna Reed Show." In the '60s, Rudolph became a top sitcom director, working on "McHale's Navy," "My Favorite Martian," and "Gidget," in addition to more than 35 episodes of the classic "Batman" series. Rudolph started the '70s directing episodes of "The Brady Bunch," "Love, American Style," and "Adam-12." After his work on the slapstick sitcoms "The New Temperatures Rising Show" and "The Paul Lynde Show," Rudolph directed one more feature film, "The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West," before retiring in '76. He died in '91 from cerebral thrombosis.

Filmography

 

Director (Feature Film)

Too Late the Hero (1970)
2nd unit Director
The Molly Maguires (1970)
2nd unit Director
The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
2nd unit Director
4 for Texas (1963)
2nd unit Director
Sodom and Gomorrah (1963)
2nd unit Director
The Wild Westerners (1962)
Director
Don't Knock the Twist (1962)
Director
Twist Around the Clock (1961)
Director
The Rocket Man (1954)
Director
The Stooge (1953)
Assistant Director
The Savage (1952)
Assistant Director
Jumping Jacks (1952)
Assistant Director
Branded (1951)
2d Assistant Director, 2d unit
Molly (1951)
Assistant Director
The Mating Season (1951)
Assistant Director
Dear Brat (1951)
Assistant Director
Fancy Pants (1950)
Assistant Director
The Furies (1950)
Assistant Director, location
My Friend Irma (1949)
Assistant Director
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)
Assistant Director
Sorrowful Jones (1949)
Assistant Director
Top O' the Morning (1949)
Assistant Director
Where There's Life (1947)
Assistant Director
Road to Rio (1947)
Assistant Director
Dear Ruth (1947)
Assistant Director
Easy Come, Easy Go (1947)
Assistant Director
The Well Groomed Bride (1946)
Assistant Director
The Stork Club (1945)
Assistant Director
A Medal for Benny (1945)
Assistant Director
Salty O'Rourke (1945)
Assistant Director
The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944)
Assistant Director
And Now Tomorrow (1944)
Assistant Director
China (1943)
2d unit Assistant Director
Henry Aldrich Swings It (1943)
Assistant Director
Henry Aldrich Haunts a House (1943)
Assistant Director
Holiday Inn (1942)
2d Assistant Director

Cast (Feature Film)

Easy Come, Easy Go (1947)
Bookie
Emergency Squad (1940)
Photographer
Touchdown, Army (1938)
Usher
Maytime (1937)
Peasant
The Plainsman (1937)
Younger man
The Holy Terror (1937)
Sailor
Blonde Trouble (1937)
Friend of Fred
Hotel Haywire (1937)
Bellboy
Wells Fargo (1937)
Anything Goes (1936)
Page boy
The Return of Sophie Lang (1936)
Bellboy
Magnificent Obsession (1936)
Western Union boy
Two for Tonight (1935)
College boy
Eight Bells (1935)
Office boy
The Crusades (1935)
Philip's squire
The Whole Town's Talking (1935)
Office clerk
Annapolis Farewell (1935)
Clayton Beale
It's a Great Life! (1935)
Cook
College Scandal (1935)
Olson
She Couldn't Take It (1935)
Newsboy
Most Precious Thing in Life (1934)
College boy
The Last Gentleman (1934)
Western Union messenger boy
This Day and Age (1933)
Gus Ruffo
Divorce in the Family (1932)
Spike
So This Is College (1929)
Freshie
Little Annie Rooney (1925)
Athos

Producer (Feature Film)

Premonition (1972)
Executive Producer

Director (Special)

All in the Family (1960)
Director
Tom, Dick, and Harry (1960)
Director
Doctor Mike (1959)
Director
Johnny Nighthawk (1959)
Director

Cast (Short)

Somewhat Secret (1939)

Life Events

Bibliography