Jack Smight

John R. Smight (March 9, 1925 – September 1, 2003)[1] was an American theatre and film director.[2][3]

Jack Smight
Born(1925-03-09)March 9, 1925[1]
Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
DiedSeptember 1, 2003(2003-09-01) (aged 78)[1]
Los Angeles, California
OccupationTheatre director, film director, film producer

His film credits include Harper (1966), No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), The Traveling Executioner (1970),[4] Rabbit, Run (1970), Airport 1975 (1974),[5] Midway (1976),[2] Damnation Alley (1977), Loving Couples (1980), and the Columbo episode "Dead Weight".[2]

Biography

Smight was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and went to Cretin High School with future actor Peter Graves.

He joined the Army Air Forces, flying missions in the Pacific during World War II, before earning his degree at the University of Minnesota. He then sought work as an actor.[6] He worked as a radio actor and had a bit part in a stage production of Anna Lucasta.

He became stage manager for TV's The Good Egg of the Week and then assistant director on The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Dennis Day Show. He said a big break was working on Visit to a Small Planet with Cyril Ritchard.[7]

In 1959, he won an Emmy for his direction of the hour-long play Eddie, which starred Mickey Rooney. He directed the 1960 Broadway play The 49th Cousin. He directed episodes for The Twilight Zone and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Smight's first feature film was I'd Rather Be Rich (1964), a remake of It Started with Eve (1941). Smight said "it was not a particularly good script but it opened up a whole new life for me."[7]

Smight then signed a contract with Warners to make six films at one a year. He produced and directed The Third Day (1965) and then directed the Paul Newman starring vehicle Harper (1966), a big hit.[8] He was meant to follow it with Kaleidescope with Warren Beatty but ended up not directing.[7]

In 1966 he signed a three-picture deal with the Mirisch Brothers and bought the rights to the novel The Illustrated Man.[9] In 1968, he directed the cult classic comedic thriller No Way to Treat a Lady, starring Rod Steiger and George Segal. Other notable films directed by Smight include Airport 1975 (1974) and Midway (1976).

Smight's last film was a US-Swiss co-production, The Favorite (1989), also known as La Nuit du serail.

Smight died from cancer in Los Angeles in 2003.[1] Smight's wife of more than 50 years, actress Joyce Cunning, died the year before. He is survived by two sons, Tim and Alec; a sister; and four grandchildren.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Notes
1964I'd Rather Be Rich
1965The Third Day
1966Harper
1966Kaleidoscope
1968The Secret War of Harry Frigg
1968No Way to Treat a Lady
1969The Illustrated Man
1969Strategy of Terror
1970Rabbit, Run
1970The Traveling Executioner
1974Airport 1975
1976Midway
1977Damnation Alley
1979Fast Break
1980Loving Couples
1987Number One with a Bullet
1989The Favorite

Television

Television Series

Year Title Notes
1949One Man's FamilyTV series
1955Repertory Theatre2 episodes
1955Goodyear Playhouse2 episodes
1956-57Climax!13 episodes
1956-58General Electric Theater2 episodes
1957The Seven Lively ArtsEpisode: "The Sound of Jazz"
1957-58Studio One in Hollywood4 episodes
1957-58Suspicion3 episode
1958Alcoa TheatreEpisode: Eddie
1959Oldsmobile Music TheatreEpisode: "A Nice Place to Hide"
1959The DuPont Show with June Allyson2 episodes
1959-61The Twilight Zone4 episodes
1960The United States Steel HourEpisode "Shadow of a Pale Horse"
1960-61Art Carney Special2 episodes
1960-61Sunday Showcase2 episodes
1960-61Our American Heritage4 episodes
1961Naked CityEpisode: "Dead on the Field of Honor"
1961Route 66Episode: "Goodnight Sweet Blues"
1961The Law and Mr. JonesEpisode: "Lincoln"
1962The Defenders2 episodes
1962The DuPont Show of the Week5 episodes
1962Alcoa PremiereEpisode: "Broken Year"
1963The Alfred Hitchcock Hour4 episodes
1963East Side/West Side2 episodes
1963Arrest and Trial5 episodes
1963-64Dr. Kildare3 episodes
1964-65Kraft Suspense Theatre4 episodes
1971ColumboEpisode: "Dead Weight"
1971-72McCloud2 episodes
1972Banacek2 episodes
1972Madigan2 episodes
1986Code of Vengeance2 episodes

Television Films

Year Title Notes
1958Victor Borge's Comedy in Music IIITV movie
1959The Ten CommandmentsTV movie
1959The Sound of Miles DavisTV movie
1960Destiny, West!TV movie
1961Westinghouse Presents: Come Again to CarthageTV movie
1961The Enchanted NutcrackerTV movie
1962Westinghouse Presents: That's Where the Town Is GoingTV movie
1972The Screaming WomanTV movie
1972The Longest NightTV movie
1973Partners in CrimeTV movie
1973Double IndemnityTV movie
1973LindaTV movie
1973Frankenstein: The True StoryTV movie
1973Legend in GraniteTV movie
1974The Man from IndependenceTV movie
1978Roll of Thunder, Hear My CryTV movie
1982Remembrance of LoveTV movie

Awards & Nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1959Primetime Emmy AwardsDirecting for a Drama SeriesAlcoa Theatre Episode: EddieWon[10]
1962Westinghouse Presents: Come Again to CarthageNominated
1970Hugo AwardBest Dramatic PresentationThe Illustrated ManNominated

References
  1. Bergan, Ronald (September 19, 2003). "Jack Smight. Down-to-earth director whose stars included Bacall, Steiger and Newman". The Guardian.
  2. "Jack Smight". The New York Times.
  3. Myers, JP (March 8, 2018). "This is the story of Director Jack Smight's life in entertainment written by himself". Medium.
  4. Variety Staff (December 31, 1969). "Review: 'The Traveling Executioner'". Variety.
  5. Canby, Vincent (October 19, 1974). "Airport 1975 (1974) Screen:'Airport 1975' Is a Silly Sequel With a 747". The New York Times.
  6. Obituary: Jack Smight ; Director specialising in the macabre: [FOREIGN Edition] Vallance, Tom. The Independent 16 Sep 2003: 16.
  7. Hollywood Kind to TV Directors Los Angeles Times 17 May 1966: c9.
  8. Smight makes best of both: Go anywhere By Kimmis Hendrick. The Christian Science Monitor 3 Aug 1965: 6.
  9. MOVIE CALL SHEET: Jack Smight Signs Contract Los Angeles Times 12 Dec 1966: D25.
  10. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0806915/awards?ref_=nm_awd
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