Walter E. Grauman (March 17, 1922 – March 20, 2015) was an American director of stage shows, films and television shows.
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Early life
Grauman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Jacob and Irene Grauman, both children of German immigrants who married after settling in the United States. His father, Jacob Grauman, was president of a film distributing company.
In his early years, Grauman lived in Shorewood, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, and later moved to Arizona where he attended the University of Arizona. He served for four years in the United States Army Air Forces flying 56 combat missions over Europe in a B-25 in the Twelfth Air Force and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross before moving to California, where his mother was living at the time.
Entertainment industry
After spending a few years running his own business, Grauman eventually took a job as stage manager at NBC's studios in Los Angeles. During his stint working at the network, he and relative (by marriage) Alan Armer developed a talent-show type program that proved popular, setting the mold for shows like Star Search and American Idol to follow.
In 1957, Grauman turned to films, directing "The Disembodied" for the "B film" division of Allied Artists Studios, which was headed by friend Walter Mirisch. Although he directed only six theatrical films, Grauman had one of the most active and long lasting television careers in history which included work on such shows as The Untouchables, The Fugitive, Route 66, The Streets of San Francisco, The Twilight Zone and Murder, She Wrote. He also reportedly helped to get Michael Douglas one of his first jobs as a lead on The Streets of San Francisco.
Grauman directed 633 Squadron, a World War II film about a fictional squadron in the British RAF. In interviews, George Lucas has commented that he patterned the "trench run" sequence in his Star Wars: Episode IV on a scene from this film. (See the article on 633 Squadron for more information.)
Grauman also directed a number of made-for-TV films, including the Aaron Spelling produced 1970 supernatural horror film Crowhaven Farm. Broadcast as an ABC Movie of the Week on 24 November 1970 and starring Hope Lange and Paul Burke, the film involves witchcraft, déjà vu, death, betrayal, revenge, and reincarnation, and it has become a cult classic.
Grauman was the creator/executive producer of the Los Angeles Spotlight Awards (not to be confused with the Spotlight Awards (GDC) for game developers), which are run through the Los Angeles Music Center. He was among the closest living relatives to Sid Grauman, owner and founder of Los Angeles' famous Grauman's Chinese Theater, Egyptian Theater and Million Dollar Theater. At the time of his death in 2015 at the age of 93, he resided in Los Angeles with his wife.
Directorial credits, theatrical films
The Disembodied (1957) Allied Artists
Lady in a Cage (1964) Paramount Pictures
633 Squadron (1964) Mirisch/United Artists
A Rage to Live (1965) Mirisch/UA
I Deal in Danger (1966) 20th Century Fox
The Last Escape (1970) Mirisch/UA
Pilots and television series
Plus over 275 30-minute and 1-hour filmed dramatic programs, including:
Live television drama
80 Matinee Theater one-hour programs
Alcoa Theatre
The Philco Television Playhouse
Director/creator/executive producer
Blue Light - series, ABC
Felony Squad - series, ABC
The Silent Force - series, ABC
Six Movies-of-the-Week, ABC
World Premiere, NBC
Eleven two-hour movies, CBS
Movies for television and mini-series
The Forgotten Man - Director/Producer/Creator
Daughter of the Mind - Director/Executive Producer
Crowhaven Farm - Director/Producer
The Old Man Who Cried Wolf - Director/Producer
Dead Men Tell No Tales - Director/Executive Producer
Paper Man - Director/Executive Producer
They Call It Murder - Director/Executive Producer
Nightmare on the 13th Floor - Executive Producer/Director
Movies for television and mini-series – director
Are You in the House Alone? – 2 hr
Crisis in Mid-air – 2 hr
The Golden Gate Murders – David Janssen/Susannah York, 2 hr, CBS
Irwin Shaw's Top of the Hill – Wayne Rogers, 4 hr
The Memory of Eva Ryker- Natalie Wood, 3 hr, CBS
Pleasure Palace – Omar Sharif, José Ferrer, 2 hr, CBS
Outrage! – 2 hr, CBS
Force Five – 2 hr, ABC
Covenant – José Ferrer, 2 hr, NBC
CBS movies and mini-series – director / producer
To Race the Wind – Steve Guttenberg – 2 hr, CBS
Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls, 1981 – 5 hr, CBS
Bare Essence – 2 hr, CBS
Illusions – 2 hr, CBS
Who is Julia? – 2 hr, CBS
Shakedown on Sunset Strip – 2 hr, CBS
