It's never fun to report the passing of a well-known industry figure, but it allows us to carve out the time to pay respects to their work and all of their invaluable contributions to the pop culture sphere. Today we honor someone who invariably influenced the evolution of TV. Variety reports that prolific TV director James Sheldon has passed away at the age of 95.
Sheldon, who is well known for working on hundreds of TV shows including The Millionaire, The Bing Crosby Show, The Fugitive, and The Love Boat, died in his Manhattan home from cancer complications, his son Tony told The New York Times. Sheldon estimated that he directed about 1,200 episodes of television over the course of his career, including 44 episodes of The Millionaire, six episodes in the second and third seasons of The Twilight Zone, and the pilot of Family Affair.
Sheldon was also a formative influence on James Dean, whom he directed in a Thanksgiving family drama called Harvest and recommended for Dick Van Patten's replacement on I Remember Mama. Sheldon's other directorial credits include Lottery!, Sanford and Son, Room 222, The Virginian, That Girl, My Three Sons, and countless others.
Sheldon is survived by his two sons and three grandsons. Rest in power.
