Trivia

With his wife Carolyn, he helped co-found Deaf Theatre West. He then went on to found the Free Arts Clinic For Abused Children.

His father was an ice-wagon driver, and his mother was a seamstress.

Began making movies at age 11 when an uncle gave him an 8mm camera.

Acted in several Broadway shows in the 1950s.

Worked during his last decade as the senior filmmaker-in-residence for the directing program at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles and as the first professor of a masters program in film directing at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Trained at the Actors Studio in New York.

Father, with Mary Carver, of voice actress Lia Sargent.

Directed 4 Emmy Award-wining performances: Mare Winningham in Amber Waves (1980), Amanda Plummer in Miss Rose White (1992), Alfre Woodard in Miss Evers' Boys (1997) and Jane Alexander in Warm Springs (2005).