The Corbomite Maneuver Director, Joseph Sargent, Dead at 89

[Indysolo]

Variety and other news services are reporting that director Joseph Sargent has passed away at the age of 89. Among his many credits, he directed "The Corbomite Maneuver", the first episode of "Star Trek" once it was picked up by NBC. He also directed the terrific movie, "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three".

Rest in peace, Mr. Sargent.

Neil

 

[Harvey]

He had a long and varied career, and did an excellent job directing "The Corbomite Maneuver."

SF fans will also recognize his name from directing four episodes of The Invaders as well as the 1970 film, Colossus: The Forbin Project.

More recently (2004), he directed Something the Lord Made, a superb and nicely understated medical drama with Alan Rickman and Mos Def.

He discusses his contribution to Star Trek, among many other things, in this interview with the Archive of American Television: http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/joseph-sargent

 

[Melakon]

He directed several things I liked, like "Pelham One Two Three" which I first saw at the theater in '74. It's in my video library.

He also directed one of my favorite Man from U.N.C.L.E. episodes, "The Project Strigas Affair", with Shatner and Nimoy.

 

[Harvey]

He directed several things I liked, like "Pelham One Two Three" which I first saw at the theater in '74. It's in my video library.

He also directed one of my favorite Man from U.N.C.L.E. episodes, "The Project Strigas Affair", with Shatner and Nimoy.

PELHAM and TOS's ''The Deadly Years'', which he both directed, both had small roles for his wife Carolyn Nelson, AKA Yeoman Atkins. In PELHAM she was one of Robert Shaw's 18 hostages.

Let's not mention JAWS THE REVENGE, though. Why demote Sargent needlessly?

If you work as long and as often as Sargent did, you're bound to make a few stinkers.

He didn't direct "The Deadly Years," though. That was Joseph Pevney.

 

[Green Shirt]

PELHAM and TOS's ''The Deadly Years'', which he both directed, both had small roles for his wife Carolyn Nelson, AKA Yeoman Atkins. In PELHAM she was one of Robert Shaw's 18 hostages.

He didn't direct "The Deadly Years," though. That was Joseph Pevney.

So Pevney also liked to use Sargent's wife in small roles? Wonder how Joe felt about that?

 

[bbailey861]

It was a very good career - thanks for that link, Harvey. RIP

 

[Dude111]

Variety and other news services are reporting that director Joseph Sargent has passed away at the age of 89.

Ahhh thats very sad

 

[CoveTom]

Also, Leonard Nimoy credits Sargent as making a very significant contribution to the Spock character early on. He credits Sargent as suggesting to Nimoy that when all the other characters were expressing strong emotions in reaction to seeing the Fesarius, Spock should approach it like a scientist, with scientific curiosity but emotional detachment. That is what led to Nimoy's trademark delivery of Spock's line, "fascinating."

RIP, Mr. Sargent.

 

[J.T.B.]

As it happens I was watching the interview Harvey cited above just a week or so ago. I really liked how he handled the ending of "Pelham," very memorable, as was Robert Shaw's shocking death scene! I watched MacArthur a year or so ago, great performance by Peck but sometimes not engaging in parts that should be more interesting. I remember seeing The Night That Panicked America on TV when I was a kid, I would love to see it again. ISTR somebody shooting a hole in a water tower, thinking it it was a Martian machine.

"Corbomite," of course, was a very important tone-setting episode, and it was done very well.

 

[Wingsley]

I always liked the visual way "The Corbomite Maneuver" was presented, even if the Balok dummy always scared the daylights out of me when I was a little kid. This episode was a mix of wonder and scariness and joy at the end. Clinton Howard was cute as the "real" Balok.

As an adult, I look forward to the joy of watching this episode. There's naturally a very 1960's style to Mr. Sargent's directing here. I enjoyed the dolly shot to a close-up at the end when Lt. Bailey volunteers to join Balok. The 1960's TV feel actually makes this one feel warm and comfortable to watch, even when the action is on. My favorite shot was when Spock announces "Radiation at the tolerance level!" as the warp engines were kicking in.

A great early sample of what TOS had to offer.

R.I.P., Joseph Sargent.

 

[EnsignHarper]

One VERY important thing he did was, realizing that there were many new cast members, plus it had almost a year since WNMHGB had been filmed, he insisted on a rehearsal day prior to shooting. RIP Mr Sargent..

Pelham 123 is very well done - you never feel claustrophobic in the subway scenes...

 

[ToddPence]

Sargent also directed the 1965 episode of THE FUGITIVE, "Stranger in the Mirror", which guest starred William Shatner.