Roger Beatty

{{Short description|American director, screenwriter, and stage manager (1933–2020)}}

{{about||the polymer scientist|J. Roger Beatty}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Roger Beatty

|birth_date = {{birth date|1933|01|24}}

|birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2020|04|06|1933|01|24}}

|death_place = Palm Desert, California, U.S.

|occupation = Director, screenwriter

|years_active = 1966–1988

}}

Roger Beatty (January 24, 1933 – April 6, 2020) was an American director and screenwriter.

After serving in the US Coast Guard for three years, Beatty began his television career in 1956, working on The Bing Crosby Show.{{efn|The sources cited here, as of July 2024, all state that Beatty began his career in television in 1956 with The Bing Crosby Show. There were several radio and television programs hosted by Crosby, including a radio program that aired in 1956, and Crosby made television appearances in 1956, but no sources could be found for a television program named The Bing Crosby Show in that year.}} He later worked on The Danny Kaye Show, Insight and The Red Skelton Hour. Beatty made his directorial debut on The Carol Burnett Show as an associate director. He also wrote for the show throughout its run,{{Cite web|url=https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2020/04/18/roger-beatty-emmy-winning-writer-carol-burnett-show-dies-palm-desert-87/5160158002/|title=Roger Beatty, Emmy-winning writer on 'Carol Burnett show,' dies in Palm Desert at 87|work=The Desert Sun|date=April 18, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/roger-beatty-dead-emmy-winning-writer-carol-burnett-show-was-87-1290813/|title=Roger Beatty, Emmy-Winning Writer on 'The Carol Burnett Show,' Dies at 87|first=Mike|last=Barnes|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 18, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2021}} winning five Primetime Emmy Awards for his writing on the show.{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/roger-beatty|title=Roger Beatty|work=Television Academy|access-date=June 4, 2021}}

Later in his career Beatty directed the television film Of Thee I Sing, with Dave Powers and Dick Hall. Beatty retired in 1988, last directing on the television series Mama's Family.{{fact|date=June 2024}}

Beatty died in April 2020 of prostate cancer at his home in Palm Desert, California, at the age of 87.{{Cite web|url=https://thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com/roger-beatty-emmy-winning-writer-on-the-carol-burnett-show-dies-at-87/|title=Roger Beatty, Emmy-Winning Writer on 'The Carol Burnett Show,' Dies at 87|website=thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com|date=April 20, 2021|access-date=June 4, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/roger-beatty-writer-carol-burnett-show-dies-87/|title=Roger Beatty, Emmy-Winning Writer of 'The Carol Burnett Show,' Dies at 87|first=Rosemary|last=Rossi|work=TheWrap|date=April 18, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/roger-beatty-dies-emmy-winning-carol-burnett-show-writer-was-87-1202911870/|title=Roger Beatty Dies: Emmy-Winning 'Carol Burnett Show' Writer Was 87|first=Anita|last=Bennett|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 18, 2020|access-date=June 4, 2021}}