Robert Butler

Robert Butler (November 17, 1927 - November 3, 2023), the revered director known for steering the debut episodes of iconic series like Batman, Star Trek, Hill Street Blues, and Moonlighting, passed away on November 3 in Los Angeles at the age of 95. Butler also played a role in co-creating Remington Steele, featuring Pierce Brosnan, and directed its inaugural episode. His legacy extends to directing the premiere of Hogan’s Heroes in 1965, setting the stage and directing pivotal episodes for Glenn Gordon Caron’s Moonlighting, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Sisters, and The Division.

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Hot Lead & Cold Feet (1978)

Twin brothers -- one rough and tough, the other a city-bred milquetoast -- compete for their father's fortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Jim Dale  •  Karen Valentine  •  Don Knotts  •  Jack Elam

Twin brothers -- one rough and tough, the other a city-bred milquetoast -- compete for their father's fortune.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Jim Dale  •  Karen Valentine  •  Don Knotts  •  Jack Elam

Turbulence (1997)

On a flight transporting dangerous convicts, murderer Ryan Weaver manages to break free and cause complete chaos throughout the plane. As various people on board fall victim to Weaver, it is ultimately down to flight attendant Teri Halloran to keep the aircraft ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Ray Liotta  •  Lauren Holly  •  Brendan Gleeson  •  Hector Elizondo

On a flight transporting dangerous convicts, murderer Ryan Weaver manages to break free and cause complete chaos throughout the plane. As various people on board fall victim to Weaver, it is ultimately down to flight attendant Teri Halloran to keep the aircraft ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Ray Liotta  •  Lauren Holly  •  Brendan Gleeson  •  Hector Elizondo

Up the Creek (1984)

Bob McGraw is in his 12th year of college, goofing his way through life. Bob, Irwing, Gonzer and Max are the four losers forced and bribed to represent their university in an intercollegiate raft race. Forced and bribed into this role, they make some friends, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Tim Matheson  •  Jennifer Runyon  •  Stephen Furst  •  Dan Monahan

Bob McGraw is in his 12th year of college, goofing his way through life. Bob, Irwing, Gonzer and Max are the four losers forced and bribed to represent their university in an intercollegiate raft race. Forced and bribed into this role, they make some friends, the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Tim Matheson  •  Jennifer Runyon  •  Stephen Furst  •  Dan Monahan

Scandalous John (1971)

A crotchety old ranch owner fights to be able to live his life the way he wants to, and not the way other people--and the law--tell him he has to.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Brian Keith  •  Alfonso Arau  •  Michele Carey  •  Rick Lenz

A crotchety old ranch owner fights to be able to live his life the way he wants to, and not the way other people--and the law--tell him he has to.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Brian Keith  •  Alfonso Arau  •  Michele Carey  •  Rick Lenz

Concrete Beat (1984)

A newspaper columnist becomes determined to clear a woman who is blamed for the death of her child in a tragic fire.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Marla Adams  •  Thom Bray  •  Clarence Felder  •  Darlanne Fluegel

A newspaper columnist becomes determined to clear a woman who is blamed for the death of her child in a tragic fire.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Marla Adams  •  Thom Bray  •  Clarence Felder  •  Darlanne Fluegel

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

The ex-girlfriend of a laywer, who left him for a lesbian lover, asks him to defend her lover in a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Chad Everett  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Carole Cook  •  Howard Duff

The ex-girlfriend of a laywer, who left him for a lesbian lover, asks him to defend her lover in a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Chad Everett  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Carole Cook  •  Howard Duff

Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1977)

The co-pilot and engineer of a passenger jet struggle to keep the plane airborne after a marshal onboard, transporting a murderer to prison, has a heart attack and the killer uses his gun to shoot the captain and blow out the hydraulics.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  David Janssen  •  Don Meredith  •  Christopher George  •  Ray Milland

The co-pilot and engineer of a passenger jet struggle to keep the plane airborne after a marshal onboard, transporting a murderer to prison, has a heart attack and the killer uses his gun to shoot the captain and blow out the hydraulics.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  David Janssen  •  Don Meredith  •  Christopher George  •  Ray Milland

Strange New World (1975)

In the near future, a group of scientists living in a space ship wake up from a hibernation state and come back to an apocalyptic Earth.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  John Saxon  •  Kathleen Miller  •  Keene Curtis  •  James Olson

In the near future, a group of scientists living in a space ship wake up from a hibernation state and come back to an apocalyptic Earth.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  John Saxon  •  Kathleen Miller  •  Keene Curtis  •  James Olson

Night of the Juggler (1980)

An ex New York cop is desperate to find his kidnapped daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  James Brolin  •  Cliff Gorman  •  Richard S. Castellano  •  Linda Miller

An ex New York cop is desperate to find his kidnapped daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  James Brolin  •  Cliff Gorman  •  Richard S. Castellano  •  Linda Miller

Underground Aces (1981)

The escapades of a crew of zany parking lot attendants.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Dirk Benedict  •  Melanie Griffith  •  Robert Hegyes  •  Rick Podell

The escapades of a crew of zany parking lot attendants.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Dirk Benedict  •  Melanie Griffith  •  Robert Hegyes  •  Rick Podell

Guns in the Heather (1969)

An American foreign exchange student in Ireland, Rich Evans (Kurt Russell), gets caught up in espionage when a dying man gives him a message to pass to his older brother, who is an American intelligence agent unbeknownst to Rich. Rich and his friend are then ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Glenn Corbett  •  Alfred Burke  •  Kurt Russell  •  Patrick Dawson

An American foreign exchange student in Ireland, Rich Evans (Kurt Russell), gets caught up in espionage when a dying man gives him a message to pass to his older brother, who is an American intelligence agent unbeknownst to Rich. Rich and his friend are then ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Glenn Corbett  •  Alfred Burke  •  Kurt Russell  •  Patrick Dawson

Dark Victory (1976)

A TV producer with a terminal illness is given the strength to keep going by her love for her doctor.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Elizabeth Montgomery  •  Anthony Hopkins  •  Michele Lee  •  Janet MacLachlan

A TV producer with a terminal illness is given the strength to keep going by her love for her doctor.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Elizabeth Montgomery  •  Anthony Hopkins  •  Michele Lee  •  Janet MacLachlan

James Dean (1976)

A dramatization of the story of legendary movie actor James Dean. The film's writer, William Bast, had roomed with Dean in the early '50s, when both were trying to break into films as actors, and was his lover for a time.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Stephen McHattie  •  Brooke Adams  •  Michael Brandon  •  Meg Foster

A dramatization of the story of legendary movie actor James Dean. The film's writer, William Bast, had roomed with Dean in the early '50s, when both were trying to break into films as actors, and was his lover for a time.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Stephen McHattie  •  Brooke Adams  •  Michael Brandon  •  Meg Foster

A Question of Guilt (1978)

A swinging divorcée is prejudged by a police detective and accused of killing her child.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Tuesday Weld  •  Ron Leibman  •  Peter Masterson  •  Alex Rocco

A swinging divorcée is prejudged by a police detective and accused of killing her child.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Tuesday Weld  •  Ron Leibman  •  Peter Masterson  •  Alex Rocco

The Blue Knight (1973)

Bumper Morgan is a veteran Los Angeles Police Department street cop. He is due to retire after 20 years on the job, but is not letting up on the criminal element on his beat.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  William Holden  •  Lee Remick  •  Joe Santos  •  Sam Elliott

Bumper Morgan is a veteran Los Angeles Police Department street cop. He is due to retire after 20 years on the job, but is not letting up on the criminal element on his beat.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  William Holden  •  Lee Remick  •  Joe Santos  •  Sam Elliott

White Mile (1994)

An ad-agency boss (Alan Alda) leads a white-water-rafting trip into danger.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Alan Alda  •  Peter Gallagher  •  Robert Loggia  •  Bruce Altman

An ad-agency boss (Alan Alda) leads a white-water-rafting trip into danger.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Alan Alda  •  Peter Gallagher  •  Robert Loggia  •  Bruce Altman

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

Some college students manage to persuade the town's big businessman, A. J. Arno, to donate a computer to their college. When the problem- student, Dexter Riley, tries to fix the computer, he gets an electric shock and his brain turns to a computer; now he remembers ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Kurt Russell  •  Cesar Romero  •  Joe Flynn  •  William Schallert

Some college students manage to persuade the town's big businessman, A. J. Arno, to donate a computer to their college. When the problem- student, Dexter Riley, tries to fix the computer, he gets an electric shock and his brain turns to a computer; now he remembers ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Kurt Russell  •  Cesar Romero  •  Joe Flynn  •  William Schallert

The Ultimate Thrill (1974)

At a Colorado ski resort, a jealous man's paranoia results in murder.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Barry Brown  •  Britt Ekland  •  Eric Braeden  •  Michael Blodgett

At a Colorado ski resort, a jealous man's paranoia results in murder.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Barry Brown  •  Britt Ekland  •  Eric Braeden  •  Michael Blodgett

Out of Time (1988)

A cop from the future goes back in time to Los Angeles and teams up with his grandfather to capture a master criminal.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Bruce Abbott  •  Bill Maher  •  Rebecca Schaeffer  •  Kristian Alfonso

A cop from the future goes back in time to Los Angeles and teams up with his grandfather to capture a master criminal.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Bruce Abbott  •  Bill Maher  •  Rebecca Schaeffer  •  Kristian Alfonso

Long Time Gone (1986)

A "world-class screw-up" private eye finds his world and his attention changed when he is reunited with his estranged 11-year old son.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Paul Le Mat  •  Wil Wheaton  •  Ann Dusenberry  •  Ray Girardin

A "world-class screw-up" private eye finds his world and his attention changed when he is reunited with his estranged 11-year old son.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Paul Le Mat  •  Wil Wheaton  •  Ann Dusenberry  •  Ray Girardin
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