Paul Wendkos (September 20, 1925; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – November 12, 2009; Malibu, California) was an American television and film director.Following World War II service in the United States Navy and his education at Columbia University on the GI Bill of Rights, Wendkos made his first feature, a documentary on a school for the blind called Dark Interlude in 1953.Wendkos' first feature film was The Burglar [1]. His fluid camera technique caught the attention of the head of Columbia Pictures, Harry Cohn, who not only wished to distribute the film but put Wendkos under contract.A variety of films followed, beginning with the hard-hitting crime drama The Case Against Brooklyn, the suspenseful war dramas Tarawa Beachhead and Battle of the Coral Sea, the youth-oriented Gidget and two sequels, Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome, as well as Because They're Young.Wendkos also worked extensively in television, directing many episodes of Playhouse 90, Alcoa Theatre, Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, Route 66, The Rifleman, Mr. Novak, Honey West, The Big Valley, I Spy, The Invaders and Hawaii Five-O. When Wendkos worked on I Spy, he was dismissed from the production when the producers deemed the episodes he had filmed to have been too "arty".In 1968 Wendkos signed a five-picture contract with Mirisch Productions, beginning with the war films Attack on the Iron Coast and Hell Boats, followed by two westerns set in Mexico (but filmed in Spain), Guns of the Magnificent Seven and Cannon for Cordoba. He also made the first feature film for Quinn Martin, The Mephisto Waltz.From 1970 until his retirement in 1999, Wendkos specialized in made-for-television movies—one of these was The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988), based on a TWA hijacking in 1985. It picked up five Emmy nominations, including one for Wendkos.Wendkos married Ruth Bernat on March 1, 1953, and had one son, Jordan Elkan Wendkos. Ruth died in June 1978. In 1983, Wendkos married Lin Bolen, former NBC VP and producer; they lived in Malibu, California, until his death.Wendkos was ill for several years following a stroke. He died on November 12, 2009, in Malibu. He was survived by his son, Jordan, granddaughter, Justine Wendkos, and his wife, Lin Bolen Wendkos.
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special, DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television
Movies
Gidget, Guns of the Magnificent Seven, The Mephisto Waltz, The Burglar, Cannon for Cordoba, Gidget Goes Hawaiian, Attack on the Iron Coast, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, Gidget Goes to Rome, Face of a Fugitive, A Woman Called Moses, Angel Baby, Hell Boats, The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson ...
Star Sign
Virgo
#
Fact
1
Best-known for his "Gidget" films and a prolific specialist in made-for-TV movies. Brought to Hollywood by Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn on the strength of The Burglar (1957), a low-budget film noir, shot on location in Philadelphia and Atlantic City.
2
Son of Simon and Judith Wendkos.
3
He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
4
He graduated from Columbia University in New York City and studied film at the New School in New York City.
5
He is survived by his son, Jordan Wendkos, of Calabasas, CA, and a granddaughter.
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Different
1999
TV Movie
A Wing and a Prayer
1998
TV Movie
Nobody Lives Forever
1998
TV Movie
A Match Made in Heaven
1997
TV Movie
Message from Nam
1993
TV Movie
Bloodlines: Murder in the Family
1993
TV Movie
Trial: The Price of Passion
1992
TV Movie
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
1991
TV Movie
White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd
1991
TV Movie
The Chase
1991
TV Movie
Good Cops, Bad Cops
1990
TV Movie
Blind Faith
1990
TV Mini-Series 2 episodes
Cross of Fire
1989
TV Movie
From the Dead of Night
1989
TV Movie
The Great Escape II: The Untold Story
1988
TV Movie part I
The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story
1988
TV Movie
Right to Die
1987
TV Movie
Six Against the Rock
1987
TV Movie
Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife
1987
TV Movie
Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies
1987
TV Movie
Rage of Angels: The Story Continues
1986
TV Movie
Picking Up the Pieces
1985
TV Movie
The Bad Seed
1985
TV Movie
The Execution
1985
TV Movie
Scorned and Swindled
1984
TV Movie
Celebrity
1984
TV Mini-Series 3 episodes
The Awakening of Candra
1983
TV Movie
Boone
1983
TV Series 1 episode
Intimate Agony
1983
TV Movie
Cocaine: One Man's Seduction
1983
TV Movie
Farrell for the People
1982
TV Movie
Golden Gate
1981
TV Movie
The Five of Me
1981
TV Movie
A Cry for Love
1980
TV Movie
The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd
1980
TV Movie
Hagen
1980
TV Series 1 episode
Act of Violence
1979
TV Movie
The Ordeal of Patty Hearst
1979
TV Movie
Betrayal
1978
TV Movie
A Woman Called Moses
1978
TV Series 2 episodes
Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue
1977
TV Mini-Series 3 episodes
Good Against Evil
1977
TV Movie
Secrets
1977
TV Movie
The Death of Richie
1977
TV Movie
Special Delivery
1976
Medical Story
1975
TV Series 1 episode
Police Story
1975
TV Series 1 episode
Death Among Friends
1975
TV Movie
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
1975
TV Movie
Archer
1975
TV Series
Harry O
1974
TV Series 3 episodes
The Underground Man
1974
TV Movie
Hawkins
1973-1974
TV Series 3 episodes
Terror on the Beach
1973
TV Movie
Honor Thy Father
1973
TV Movie
The Strangers in 7A
1972
TV Movie
Footsteps
1972
TV Movie
Haunts of the Very Rich
1972
TV Movie
The Family Rico
1972
TV Movie
The Woman I Love
1972
TV Movie
The Delphi Bureau
1972
TV Series 1 episode
A Death of Innocence
1971
TV Movie
A Little Game
1971
TV Movie
A Tattered Web
1971
TV Movie
The Mephisto Waltz
1971
Travis Logan, D.A.
1971
TV Movie
Cannon for Cordoba
1970
The Brotherhood of the Bell
1970
TV Movie
Hell Boats
1970
Hawaii Five-O
1968-1969
TV Series 3 episodes
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
1969
Fear No Evil
1969
TV Movie
Attack on the Iron Coast
1968
The Invaders
1967-1968
TV Series 9 episodes
Premiere
1968
TV Series 1 episode
I Spy
1965-1966
TV Series 11 episodes
The F.B.I.
1966
TV Series 5 episodes
Johnny Tiger
1966
The Wild Wild West
1965
TV Series 1 episode
The Big Valley
1965
TV Series 2 episodes
Honey West
1965
TV Series 3 episodes
A Man Called Shenandoah
1965
TV Series 1 episode
Mr. Novak
1964-1965
TV Series 7 episodes
Burke's Law
1965
TV Series 1 episode
Ben Casey
1963-1964
TV Series 2 episodes
Breaking Point
1963-1964
TV Series 3 episodes
Dr. Kildare
1962-1964
TV Series 8 episodes
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
TV Series 2 episodes
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
TV Series 1 episode
Gidget Goes to Rome
1963
The Untouchables
1961-1963
TV Series 12 episodes
The Dick Powell Theatre
1963
TV Series 1 episode
Saints and Sinners
1962-1963
TV Series 2 episodes
The Detectives
1960-1962
TV Series 12 episodes
The Rifleman
1961-1962
TV Series 2 episodes
Naked City
1960-1961
TV Series 3 episodes
Gidget Goes Hawaiian
1961
Angel Baby
1961
Route 66
1961
TV Series 1 episode
Two Faces West
1960
TV Series 1 episode
Alcoa Theatre
1958-1960
TV Series 2 episodes
Law of the Plainsman
1960
TV Series 2 episodes
Because They're Young
1960
Tightrope
1960
TV Series 1 episode
Five Fingers
1959
TV Series 1 episode
Battle of the Coral Sea
1959
Face of a Fugitive
1959
Gidget
1959
Tarawa Beachhead
1958
Behind Closed Doors
1958
TV Series 2 episodes
Bitter Heritage
1958
TV Movie
The Case Against Brooklyn
1958
Playhouse 90
1957-1958
TV Series 2 episodes
The Burglar
1957
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue
1977
TV Mini-Series producer - 3 episodes
Stalk the Wild Child
1976
TV Movie producer
Editor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Burglar
1957
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1988
Primetime Emmy
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special
The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988)