Mel Damski
{{short description|American film producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mel Damski
| birthname = Melvin Damski
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|07|21|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Manhattan, New York, U.S.
| occupation = Film director, television director, producer
| education = Colgate University (BA)
American Film Institute (MFA)
| yearsactive = 1978-present
}}
Melvin Damski (born July 21, 1946 in New York, New York[https://web.archive.org/web/20201022184329/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba1167ea5 Melvin Damski's bio & filmography] at www2.bfi.org.uk) is an American director and producer of film and television.[https://dga.org/The-Guild/Members/Profile.aspx?mid=ShPoprFBZhE%3d Melvin Damski's profile] at dga.org
Life and career
Mel Damski (born in New York, New York) is an American film director and film producer. Damski has Northern European Jewish heritage, one of four children of German refugee parents. Damski grew up in Roslyn, Long Island, New York and attended Colgate University on a football scholarship.[https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mel-damski/bio/3000248427/ Mel Damski's Bio] at www.tvguide.com He was a reporter for Long Island Newsday before moving to Los Angeles to attend the AFI Conservatory in 1972.[https://conservatory.afi.com/academy-award-achievements/ AFI Conservatory Alumni Academy Award Achievements "Mel Damski (AFI Class of 1972)"] at conservatory.afi.com
Damski was the Producing-Director of Psych.[https://variety.com/2013/tv/features/music-and-marketing-make-psych-move-1200328863/ "Music and Marketing Make ‘Psych’ Move"] by Paula K Hendrickson at variety.com In addition to his long directing career, including 29 movies and scores of episodes, he has taught film and television at NYU, USC and AFI.[https://www.mainemedia.edu/faculty/list/mel-damski/ Mel Damski Faculty bio] at www.mainemedia.edu He is also President of Lyrique Wine Company, a small family owned winery.
In 1998, Damski, along with Andrea Blaugrund, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Documentary for the film Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.[https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1998 The 70th Academy Awards, Mel Damski Oscar nomination] at www.oscars.org[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-11-ca-17729-story.html Complete List of Nominees "Mel Damski and Andrea Blaugrund"] at www.latimes.com
In 1981, Damski was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding directing in a drama series for American Dream.[https://www.emmys.com/bios/mel-damski Mel Damski Emmy nominations] at www.emmys.com
In 1979, Damski was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding directing in a drama series for the television series Lou Grant (1977) for the episode "Murder".
Damski's column "If I Ran The Zoo" runs every Wednesday in the La Conner Weekly News and a week later on his blog.
Selected filmography
Film
- Yellowbeard (1983)
- Mischief (1985)
- Happy Together (1989)
- Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies (1997)
- Legendary (2010)
- Coming Home for Christmas (2017)
Television
- Long Journey Back (1978)
- M*A*S*H, episode "Out of Gas" (1978)
- Lou Grant (1977-1978)
- A Perfect Match (1980)
- Word of Honor (1981)
- American Dream (1981)
- For Ladies Only (1981)
- Attack on Fear (1984)
- Badge of the Assassin (1985)
- The Three Kings (1987)
- Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure (1989)
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1989)
- The Girl Who Came Between Them (1990)
- Blood River (1991)
- Class of '96 (1993)
- Picket Fences (1992-1993)
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1994) (episode: "Witness")
- Harts of the West (1994) (episode: "Hart's Vacation")
- Chicago Hope (1994)
- American Gothic (1995)
- Nowhere Man (1996)
- Early Edition (1996)
- The Care and Handling of Roses (1996)
- Their Second Chance (1997)
- Pacific Palisades (1997)
- Vengeance Unlimited (1998)
- Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998-1999)
- Ally (1999)
- The Practice (1998-2000)
- Boston Public (2000)
- Titans (2000)
- The Clark Family (2001)
- Ally McBeal (1997-2001)
- The Tick (2002) (episode: "The Tick vs. Justice")
- The Guardian (2002)
- Everwood (2003)
- Without a Trace (2003)
- 1-800-Missing (2003)
- Judging Amy (2003)
- Darcy's Wild Life (2004-2006) (episodes: "Darcy's Wild Life", "Puppy Love" and "Swine Flew the Coop")
- Kevin Hill (2004)
- Point Pleasant (2005)
- Boston Legal (2004-2005)
- Charmed (1999-2006)
- Las Vegas (2006)
- Beautiful People (2006)
- The Wedding Bells (2007)
- Psych (2006-2014)
References
{{Reflist}}
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=YB6tyFdq5TcC&dq=%22Mel+Damski%22&pg=PA112 Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors: Volume 1 - Page 112]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150805220001/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/86646/Mel-Damski New York Times Movies & TV Database]
External links
- {{IMDb name|0198991}}
{{Mel Damski}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Damski, Mel}}
Category:Film producers from New York (state)
Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:AFI Conservatory alumni
Category:American television directors