8.5
TV
Directing
William Asher
- Born
- Died
- (aged 90)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
- Credits
- 51 titles
Biography
William Milton Asher (August 8, 1921 – July 16, 2012) was an American television and film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific early television directors, producing or directing over two dozen series.
With television in its infancy, he introduced the sitcom Our Miss Brooks, which was adapted from a radio show. He began directing I Love Lucy by 1952. As a result of his early success, Asher was considered an "early wunderkind of TV-land," and was hyperbolically credited in one magazine article with "inventing" the sitcom. In 1964, he began to direct episodes of Bewitched, which starred his wife Elizabeth Montgomery. He produced the series from the fourth season.
He was nominated for an Emmy Award four times, winning once for directing Bewitched in 1966. He was also nominated for the DGA Award in 1951 for I Love Lucy.
In 1951, he married actress Danny Sue Nolan, with whom he had two children; the couple divorced in 1961. He then married actress Elizabeth Montgomery in 1963, just before Bewitched began its run. They had three children and divorced in 1973. His third marriage was to actress Joyce Bulifant and it lasted from 1976 to 1993. He adopted her son, actor and director John Mallory Asher. This marriage also ended in divorce. In 1998, he married Meredith Coffin Asher, his fourth and final wife.
Description above from the Wikipedia article William Asher, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Signature work
Known For
8.5
TV
7.8
TV
Bewitched
7.9
TV
I Love Lucy
6.5
Movie
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
8.1
TV
E! True Hollywood Story
7.0
TV
Alice
5.8
Movie
I Hate Kids
6.0
Movie
Beach Party
6.2
Movie
The 27th Day
6.0
Movie
Beach Blanket Bingo
5.7
Movie
Muscle Beach Party
5.6
Movie
Bikini Beach
5.3
Movie
How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
5.4
Movie
Johnny Cool
5.9
Movie
The Shadow on the Window
6.2
TV
The Danny Thomas Show
5.1
Movie
Fireball 500
6.2
TV
The Patty Duke Show
Acting credits 2
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy Film | Self |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story TV | (1 ep) |
Crew credits 49
| Year | Title | Job |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | Mr. Bevis Film | Director |
| 2019 | I Hate Kids Film | Thanks |
| 1996 | Jungle Cubs TV | Director (2 ep) |
| 1994 | A Bewitched Christmas Film | Director |
| 1990 | Return to Green Acres Film | Director |
| 1986 | Kay O'Brien TV | Creator |
| 1985 | I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later Film | Director |
| 1985 | Movers & Shakers Film | Director, Producer |
| 1984 | Crazy like a Fox TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1983 | Charley's Aunt Film | Director |
| 1982 | American Playhouse TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1981 | Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker Film | Director |
| 1981 | Private Benjamin TV | Director (8 ep) |
| 1981 | Harper Valley TV | Director (5 ep) |
| 1979 | A Christmas for Boomer Film | Director |
| 1979 | The Bad News Bears TV | Director (3 ep) |
| 1979 | Flatbush TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1977 | Tabitha TV | Director (2 ep) |
| 1976 | Alice TV | Director (27 ep) |
| 1972 | The Paul Lynde Show TV | Director (5 ep) |
| 1972 | Temperatures Rising TV | Producer, Director, Creator (47 ep) |
| 1966 | Jan & Dean: On the Run Film | Producer, Director |
| 1966 | Fireball 500 Film | Director, Writer |
| 1965 | Gidget TV | Director (7 ep) |
| 1965 | How to Stuff a Wild Bikini Film | Writer, Director |
| 1965 | Beach Blanket Bingo Film | Director, Writer |
| 1964 | Bewitched TV | Producer, Director (254 ep) |
| 1964 | Bikini Beach Film | Director, Screenplay |
| 1964 | Muscle Beach Party Film | Director, Story |
| 1963 | Johnny Cool Film | Director, Producer |
| 1963 | The Patty Duke Show TV | Director, Creator (8 ep) |
| 1963 | Beach Party Film | Director |
| 1963 | Vacation Playhouse TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1961 | Pippi Longstocking Film | Producer |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zone TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1959 | Fibber McGee & Molly TV | Director (2 ep) |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's Storybook TV | Producer, Director (41 ep) |
| 1957 | The Thin Man TV | Director (2 ep) |
| 1957 | Sally TV | Creator |
| 1957 | The Shadow on the Window Film | Director |
| 1957 | The 27th Day Film | Director |
| 1956 | Mobs, Inc. Film | Director |
| 1955 | The Jane Wyman Show TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1953 | The Danny Thomas Show TV | Director (3 ep) |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouse TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1951 | I Love Lucy TV | Director (96 ep) |
| 1951 | Racket Squad TV | Director (1 ep) |
| 1948 | Leather Gloves Film | Director |