Rod Amateau

“Written, produced and directed by…” This is a favorite credit of film school students everywhere and one Rodney Amateau achieved.
Amateau began his career as a staff writer for CBS Radio. Then he moved to 20th Century Fox, where he worked as a junior writer, dialogue coach and screen test director (he was in charge of handling Marilyn Monroe’s screen test).
Amateau made his directorial debut in 1952 with “The Bushwhackers,” which he co-wrote with Tom Gries. He worked as a stunt double for James Dean on “Rebel Without a Cause,” and then joined CBS as a producer, director and writer of “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” His other television credits include “Mister Ed,” “The Patty Duke Show,” “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show,” “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “The Fall Guy.” He also directed the pilot for “Gilligan’s Island.”
Amateau died on Sunday of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 79.