Nicholas Webster
Writer-producer-director
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His 1961 documentary "Walk in My Shoes" for the ABC Close Up about blacks in America was Emmy-nommed as Show of the Year. Other subjects he covered included "I Remember," a return to the Auschwitz concentration camps; "Meet Comrade Student" about Russian education, and "The Long Childhood of Timmy," about childhood mental retardation. He also directed ABC's first color special, a tour of The Vatican.
He also directed documentaries for NBC ("David Brinkley's Journal") and CBS (The Twentieth Century, with Walter Cronkite.)
Moving to feature films, he directed the film version of Ossie Davis' Broadway play "Purlie Victorious," with Alan Alda and Ruby Dee; and directed Pia Zadora in her first film, the 1964 cult pic "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." Other features included "Mission Mars" with Darren McGavin and Nick Adams; and "No Longer Alone," plus the feature release documentary "Manbeast: Myth or Monster."
In 1969 he wrote, produced, and directed the ABC special, "The Draft -- Who Serves?" on the growing opposition to the war in Vietnam, winning the Christopher Award.
Through the 1970s he directed primetime dramas "Bonanza," "Mannix," "The FBI," and "The Waltons." Combining his drama and documentary experience, he produced and directed the Emmy nommed "The Last Days of John Dillinger" for David Wolper, followed by "Showdown at O.K. Corral." He co-wrote, directed and produced docu-musical, "Johnny Cash Ridin' the Rails, The Great American Train Story," with partner Dyann Rivkin.
He also directed, co-produced and wrote many "In Search Of..." programs with Leonard Nimoy, as well as historical recreation segments of "Ripley's Believe it or Not."
His 1997 autobiography, "How To Sleep On A Camel, Adventures of A Documentary Film Director," notes that he directed his Hollywood High senior class movie in the late 1920s, and was a bit player in "All Quiet on the Western Front." He went on to be a cutter at MGM, an army cinematographer during World War II, a documentarian for the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the war, and a commercial director in New York before returning to Hollywood in the 1960s. He was a former Board Member of the International Documentary Association.
Webster is survived by his wife Diana, son Lance, an entertainment publicist; and daughters Juliet and Cynthia.
