Paul Wendkos

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Paul Wendkos September 20 1922 Philadelphia Pennsylvania November 12 2009 Malibu California was an American television and film director Following wartime service in the US Navy and attending Columbia University on the GI Bill Wendkos made his first feature a documentary on a school for the blind called Dark Interlude in 1953 Wendkoss first feature film was The Burglar Wendkoss fluid camera technique caught the attention of the head of Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn who not only wished to distribute the film but put Wendkos on a contract A variety of films followed for Columbia beginning with the hardhitting crime drama The Case Against Brooklyn two suspenseful war dramas Tarawa Beachhead and Battle of the Coral Sea the youthoriented Gidget and two sequels Gidget Goes Hawaiian Gidget Goes to Rome as well as Because Theyre Young Wendkos also directed many episodes of Playhouse 90 Alcoa Theatre Ben Casey Dr Kildare Route 66 The Rifleman Mr Novak Honey West The Big Valley I Spy The Invaders and Hawaii FiveO With I Spy Wendkos filmed several interesting episodes but was deemed too arty by the producers and let go In 1968 Wendkos signed a five picture contract with Mirisch Productions beginning with the war films Attack on the Iron Coast and Hell Boats followed by Westerns set in Mexico but filmed in SpainGuns of the Magnificent Seven and Cannon for Cordoba He also made the first feature film for Quinn Martin The Mephisto Waltz From 1970 until his retirement in 1999 Wendkos specialized in madefortelevision movies One of these was The Taking of Flight 847 The Uli Derickson Story 1988 based on a TWA hijacking in 1985 picked up five Emmy nominations including one for Wendkos Wendkos was cited by film critic Andrew Sarris in his book The American Cinema Directors and Directions 19291968 He is also cited along with many other directors in The American Vein Directors and Directions in Television by Christopher Wicking and Tise Vahimagi Talisman Books England 1979 and EP Dutton United States 1979 Library of Congress Catalog Card No 7952675 Wendkos married Ruth Bernat on March 1 1953 and had one son Jordan Elkan Wendkos Ruth died in June 1978 Wendkos married Lin Bolen Former NBC VP Producer in 1983 and they lived together happily in Malibu California until his death He is survived by his son Jordan granddaughter Justine Wendkos and his wife Lin Bolen Wendkos Wendkos was ill for several years following a stroke He died on November 12 2009 in Malibu California Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Wendkos licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia