Rod Holcomb

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Rod Holcomb
Rod-holcomb-bio resize.jpg
Holcomb in 2003
Born(1943-05-28)May 28, 1943
DiedJanuary 24, 2024(2024-01-24) (aged 80)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Television director and producer

Rod Holcomb (May 28, 1943 – January 24, 2024) was an American television director and producer, best known for directing the pilot and finale of ER .

Contents

Holcomb directed episodes of numerous television series, including Quincy, M.E. , The Six Million Dollar Man , Battlestar Galactica , Fantasy Island , The A-Team , The District , Lost , Invasion , Shark , China Beach , Wiseguy , The Equalizer , Scarecrow and Mrs. King , The Devlin Connection , The Greatest American Hero , Hill Street Blues , The West Wing , and Numb3rs .[ citation needed ]

Life and career

In 1979, Holcomb directed the television film Captain America . [1] In 1994, he directed pilot episode of ER , for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and won a Directors Guild of America Award. [2] In 1996, he directed the episode "Last Call" and was nominated for another Primetime Emmy. [3] He returned to the show in 2009 to direct its final episode and received a Primetime Emmy for doing so. [2]

In 1997, Holcomb was announced as the director of a Showtime miniseries titled Dying for Our Country. [4] It aired the next year under the title Thanks of a Grateful Nation . [5] In 2001, he directed the pilot episode of The Education of Max Bickford , and served as executive producer for the overall show. [6]

In 2004, Holcomb served as chair of the Directors Guild of America's television creative rights committee. [7]

Holcomb died on January 24, 2024, at the age of 80. [8]

Directing style

On his role as a guest director, Holcomb stated:

I generally go in with a clear understanding that the actors have a responsibility to the series [...] They own those roles. They own those characters. My responsibility is to help them become the best actors they can be within those parameters. You’re trying to continue the prosperity and success of that series as well as being an artist. [9]

Unreleased works

In 1997, Holcomb was announced as the director of an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's novel A Fall of Moondust . [10] In 1999, he was hired to direct a WWII drama pilot titled Skylark. [11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1991 Chains of Gold DirectorGerman theatrical release [12]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1979 Captain America DirectorTelevision film [1]
1993 Donato and Daughter DirectorTelevision film [13]
1994 ER DirectorEpisode: "24 Hours" [2]
1994 Royce DirectorTelevision film [14]
1995Convict CowboyDirectorTelevision film [15]
1996ERDirectorEpisode: "Last Call" [3]
1998 Thanks of a Grateful Nation DirectorMiniseries [16]
2000HopewellDirector/Executive Producer (Showrunner)Television film [17]
2001 The Education of Max Bickford DirectorEpisode: "Pilot" [6]
2001–2002The Education of Max BickfordExecutive producer [18]
2003 The Lyon's Den Executive producer [19]
2003 The Pentagon Papers DirectorTelevision film [20]
2005 Code Breakers DirectorTelevision film [21]
2006–2008 Shark Executive producer [22]
2007 Moonlight DirectorEpisode: "No Such Thing as Vampires" [23]
2007–2008MoonlightExecutive producer [24]
2009 Lost DirectorEpisode: "Jughead" [25]
2009ERDirectorEpisode: "And in the End..." [2]
2010 The 19th Wife DirectorTelevision film [26]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef
1988 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series China Beach: PilotNominated [27]
1989 Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials China Beach: PilotNominated
1994 Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials ER: 24 Hours Won [2]
1995 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Drama Series ER: 24 Hours Nominated [28]
1997 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series ER: Last CallNominated [29]
2004 Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television The Pentagon Papers Nominated [30]
2004 The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors Honors AwardsDirectingNominated [31]
2009 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series ER: And in the End... Won [32]

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