Jack Smight
Director
Minneapolis native, son of Irish immigrants, joined the Army Air Corps, where he trained as a navigator and flew numerous missions in the Pacific during WWII. After the war, he enrolled as a drama major at the U. of Minnesota, where he was reunited with a former high school friend and bandmate, Pete Arness (later dubbed Peter Graves). They performed in plays and summer stock together and, in the spring of 1949, with the blessings of their fiancees, decided to strike out for Hollywood to seek their fortune.
When they exited the train in LA, they were met by Peter's older brother, James Arness (later of "Gunsmoke" fame), who advised them to either get back on the train and go home or start reading the trades and go out for auditions.
Smight's girlfriend, actress Joyce Cunning, followed him to L.A. a few weeks later; they were married for 50 years, until her death last year.
Despite getting some attention for his acting talent, Smight decided after a year or so that he would rather work behind the scenes, and got a job at NBC learning the videotape and film business.
"Jack was smart, so he got promotions," Graves recalled. "He was hired as floor director for the 'Colgate Comedy Hour,' which was a tremendous training ground."
Smight worked his way up to director with jobs in New York and Hollywood.
His first TV helming job was a one-man show starring Mickey Rooney; gig won Smight his first Emmy.
He went on to direct such 1950s TV series as "Naked City," "Goodyear Television Playhouse" and "The Twilight Zone." In the '60s, his credits included "Route 66" and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour."
He also moved into film, helming such prominent pics as "Harper," "Kaleidoscope," "The Illustrated Man," "The Secret War of Harry Figg" and "No Way to Treat a Lady."
The '70s brought films "Airport 1975," "Midway," "The Traveling Executioner," "Rabbit, Run" and "Fast Break," as well as TV series such as "McCloud" and "Banacek," TV pics including "Double Indemnity" and miniseries "Frankenstein: The True Story."
In the'80s, he helmed pics including "Remembrance of Love," "Number One With a Bullet" and "The Favorite."
He is survived by sons Tim, a writer, and Alec, an editor ("CSI"); four grandchildren; and a sister.
A private memorial is scheduled.
Donations are suggested to the American Cancer Society.
