Tim Van Patten

{{Short description|American television director, actor (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Tim Van Patten

| image = |

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birthname = Timothy Van Patten

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|6|10}}

| birth_place = New York, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Director
actor
screenwriter
producer}}

| years_active = 1978–present

| website =

| awards = Full list

| spouse = {{marriage|Wendy Rossmeyer|1996}}

| children = 3, including Grace

| relatives = Dick Van Patten (half-brother)
Joyce Van Patten (half-sister)
Vincent Van Patten (nephew)
Nels Van Patten (nephew)

Talia Balsam (niece)

}}

Timothy Van Patten (born June 10, 1959) is an American television director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He has received numerous accolades including two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and two Directors Guild of America Awards as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards.

Patten received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Limited Series for the HBO limited series The Pacific (2010), and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the HBO drama series Boardwalk Empire episode "To the Lost" (2012). He also received Emmy nominations for his work on Sex and the City, The Sopranos, and Game of Thrones. Patten also directed episodes for Deadwood, Rome, and The Wire. He directed the Netflix series Black Mirror episode "Hang the DJ" (2018), and the HBO legal drama series Perry Mason (2020).

Patten started his career as an actor portraying Mario "Salami" Pettrino on The White Shadow from 1978 to 1981. He also played the villainous teenager Peter Stegman in Class of 1984 (1982), Max Keller on The Master (1984), and Sergeant Andy Wojeski in True Blue (1989–1990).

Personal life

Van Patten was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Richard Byron Van Patten (1907 – 1985) and his second wife Eleanor della Gatta Van Patten and grew up in Massapequa, New York. He is the half-brother of Dick Van Patten and Joyce Van Patten, and the uncle of Vincent Van Patten and Talia Balsam. He graduated from Massapequa High School in 1977, in the same class as musician Brian Setzer and football player Brian Baldinger. His daughter is actress Grace Van Patten.

Career

= 1978–1990: Acting career =

Patten started his career as an actor in film and television. He first gained prominence for his role as Mario "Salami" Pettrino in the CBS drama series The White Shadow from 1978 to 1981 appearing in 54 episodes. He made his feature film debut in the Mark Lester directed crime thriller Class of 1984 portraying Peter Stegman, the villainous teenager. He acted alongside Michael J. Fox and Roddy McDowell. The film received positive reviews with Roger Ebert writing, "[the film] is raw, offensive, vulgar, and violent, but it contains the sparks of talent and wit, and it is acted and directed by people who cared to make it special."{{cite web|url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/class-of-1984-1982|title= Class of 1984|website= Rogerebert.com|accessdate= January 14, 2024}} Patten then played Max Keller in the NBC action-adventure series The Master (1984). His other film roles include Joey in the World War II science fiction film Zone Troopers (1985), J.T. in the comedy film The Wrong Guys (1988), and Father John Durham in the horror film Catacombs (1988). He played Andy Wojeski in the NBC crime drama series True Blue from 1989 to 1990.

= 1991–2001: Early directing work =

Following the cancellation of True Blue Patten quit acting{{cite web | url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/timothy-van-patten#interview-clips | title=Timothy van Patten | date=October 22, 2017 }} and made his directorial film debut with the series Home Fries in 1991. His other early credits include directing two episodes of the primetime soap opera Central Park West (1995-1996), an episode of the Fox science fiction series The Visitor (1998), four episodes for the UPN action crime drama series The Sentinel from 1996 to 1998, and the CBS drama series Promised Land also 1996 to 1998. He gained prominence directing episodes for the NBC police drama Homicide: Life on the Street (1995-1999), and for the Fox police drama New York Undercover (1997-1998), both of which were critically acclaimed. Patten directed 31 episodes of the CBS drama series Touched by an Angel from 1994 to 2000. Ed,

= 2002–present: Work with HBO =

Patten gained greater prominence as a director for a string of critically and commercially successful HBO projects. He received four nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos (1999-2007) episodes "Amour Fou" (2001), "Whoever Did This" (2002), "Long Term Parking" (2004), and "Members Only" (2006).{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/bios/tim-van-patten |title=Tim Van Patten |publisher=Television Academy}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Soprano Home Movies" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/78-soprano-home-movies/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Cold Stones" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/76-cold-stones/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Johnny Cakes" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/73-johnny-cakes/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Live Free or Die" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/71-live-free-or-die/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Members Only" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/66-members-only/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Long Term Parking" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/5/64-long-term-parking/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Unidentified Black Males" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/5/61-unidentified-black-males/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Two Tonys" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/5/53-two-tonys/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Calling All Cars" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/4/50-calling-all-cars/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Whoever Did This" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/4/48-whoever-did-this/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Christopher" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/4/42-christopher/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Wire episode "Sentencing" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html#/the-wire/episodes/1/13-sentencing/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Amour Fou" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/3/38-amour-fou/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Second Opinion" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/3/33-second-opinion/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Proshai, Livushka" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/3/28-proshai-livushka/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "House Arrest" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/2/24-house-arrest/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Big Girls Don't Cry" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/2/18-big-girls-dont-cry/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Commendatori" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/2/17-commendatori/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/1/08-the-legend-of-tennessee-moltisanti/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}} During this time he received acclaim for directing numerous episodes of the David Simon crime series The Wire, the Darren Star created romantic comedy series Sex and the City, the John Milius created historical drama series Rome, and the David Milch created Western series Deadwood.

He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie HBO miniseries The Pacific (2009) for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series alongside producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. During this time he directed two episodes for the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, "The Kingsroad" and "Winter is Coming" receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the later. Patten went on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for directing the 2011 Boardwalk Empire episode "To the Lost". He was also nominated for the episodes "Margate Sands" (2012), "Farewell Daddy Blues" (2013), "Eldorado" (2014).

He directed the critically acclaimed episode of Black Mirror, "Hang the DJ" (2017). He also directed and served as an executive producer of the HBO legal drama series Perry Mason (2020).

Filmography

= Director =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Notes ! class="unsortable"\|Refs.
1994–2000 \|Touched by an Angel \| 31 episodes \|
1995–1999 \|Homicide: Life on the Street \| 2 episodes \|
1996–1998 \|Promised Land \| 3 episodes \|
1997–1998 \|New York Undercover \| 3 episodes \|
1999 \|Now and Again \|Episode: "Nothing to Fear, But Nothing to Fear" \|
1999–2007 \|The Sopranos \|20 episodes Writer: "Pine Barrens" \| {{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = The Sopranos episode "The Second Coming" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/84-the-second-coming/synopsis.html \|access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = The Sopranos episode "Chasing It" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/81-chasing-it/synopsis.html \|access-date = February 21, 2010}}
2001–2003 \| Ed \| 5 episodes \|
2002 \|Pasadena \|Episode: "Puppy Love" \|
2002–2004 \|The Wire \|3 episodes \| {{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = The Wire episode "Back Burners" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html#/the-wire/episodes/3/32-back-burners/synopsis.html \|access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = The Wire episode "Stray Rounds" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html#/the-wire/episodes/2/22-stray-rounds/synopsis.html \|access-date = February 21, 2010}}
2003–2004 \|Sex and the City \| 3 episodes \|
2003 \|Keen Eddie \| Episode: "The Amazing Larry Dunn" \|
2005 \|Into the West \|Miniseries; Episode: "Casualties of War" \|
2005 \|Deadwood \|Episode: "Childish Things" \| {{cite episode\|title = Childish Things\|series = Deadwood\|series-link = Deadwood (TV series)\|credits = Tim Van Patten (director), Regina Corrado (writer)\|network = HBO\|airdate = April 24, 2005\|season = 2\|number = 8}}
2005–2007 \| Rome \| 2 episodes \|
2010 \|The Pacific \|3 episodes; also supervising producer \|
2011 \|Game of Thrones \| 2 episodes: "Winter Is Coming" / "The Kingsroad" \|
2010–2014 \|Boardwalk Empire \| 10 episodes Writer: "Home" Executive producer 2010-2014 \| {{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "Erlkönig" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/04/41-erlkonig/synopsis.html \|access-date = October 9, 2013}}{{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "New York Sour" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/04/37-new-york-sour/index.html \|access-date = October 9, 2013}} {{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "21" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/02/13-21/synopsis.html \|access-date = September 28, 2011}}{{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "A Return to Normalcy" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/12-a-return-to-normalcy/synopsis.html \|access-date = December 19, 2010}} {{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "Broadway Limited" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/03-broadway-limited/synopsis.html \|access-date = October 19, 2010}}{{cite web \|author = HBO \|author-link = HBO \|title = Boardwalk Empire episode "The Ivory Tower" synopsis \|url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/02-the-ivory-tower/synopsis.html \|access-date = October 17, 2010}}
2017 \|Black Mirror \|Episode: "Hang the DJ" \|
2020 \| Perry Mason \| 5 Episodes; Executive producer \|
2024 \| Masters of the Air \| 1 episode \|
2024 \| Franklin \| 8 Episodes \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Notes

! class="unsortable"|Refs.

1994–2000

|Touched by an Angel

| 31 episodes

1995–1999

|Homicide: Life on the Street

| 2 episodes

1996–1998

|Promised Land

| 3 episodes

1997–1998

|New York Undercover

| 3 episodes

1999

|Now and Again

|Episode: "Nothing to Fear, But Nothing to Fear"

1999–2007

|The Sopranos

|20 episodes
Writer: "Pine Barrens"

| {{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "The Second Coming" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/84-the-second-coming/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Sopranos episode "Chasing It" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/index.html#/the-sopranos/episodes/6/81-chasing-it/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}

2001–2003

| Ed

| 5 episodes

2002

|Pasadena

|Episode: "Puppy Love"

2002–2004

|The Wire

|3 episodes

| {{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Wire episode "Back Burners" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html#/the-wire/episodes/3/32-back-burners/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = The Wire episode "Stray Rounds" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html#/the-wire/episodes/2/22-stray-rounds/synopsis.html |access-date = February 21, 2010}}

2003–2004

|Sex and the City

| 3 episodes

2003

|Keen Eddie

| Episode: "The Amazing Larry Dunn"

2005

|Into the West

|Miniseries; Episode: "Casualties of War"

2005

|Deadwood

|Episode: "Childish Things"

| {{cite episode|title = Childish Things|series = Deadwood|series-link = Deadwood (TV series)|credits = Tim Van Patten (director), Regina Corrado (writer)|network = HBO|airdate = April 24, 2005|season = 2|number = 8}}

2005–2007

| Rome

| 2 episodes

2010

|The Pacific

|3 episodes; also supervising producer

2011

|Game of Thrones

| 2 episodes: "Winter Is Coming" / "The Kingsroad"

2010–2014

|Boardwalk Empire

| 10 episodes
Writer: "Home"
Executive producer 2010-2014

| {{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "Erlkönig" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/04/41-erlkonig/synopsis.html |access-date = October 9, 2013}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "New York Sour" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/04/37-new-york-sour/index.html |access-date = October 9, 2013}}
{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "21" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/02/13-21/synopsis.html |access-date = September 28, 2011}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "A Return to Normalcy" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/12-a-return-to-normalcy/synopsis.html |access-date = December 19, 2010}}
{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "Broadway Limited" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/03-broadway-limited/synopsis.html |access-date = October 19, 2010}}{{cite web |author = HBO |author-link = HBO |title = Boardwalk Empire episode "The Ivory Tower" synopsis |url = http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire/episodes/01/02-the-ivory-tower/synopsis.html |access-date = October 17, 2010}}

2017

|Black Mirror

|Episode: "Hang the DJ"

2020

| Perry Mason

| 5 Episodes; Executive producer

2024

| Masters of the Air

| 1 episode

2024

| Franklin

| 8 Episodes

=Actor=

Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! class="unsortable"\|Refs.
class="wikitable sortable"
1978–1981	The White Shadow	Mario "Salami" Pettrino	54 episodes
1982	Class of 1984	Peter Stegman	Film
1984	The Master	Max Keller	13 episodes
1984	Escape from El Diablo	Pauli	Film
1985	Zone Troopers	Joey	Film
1988	The Wrong Guys	J.T.	Film
1988	Catacombs	Father John Durham	Film
1989–1990	True Blue	Sergeant Andy Wojeski	12 episodes

Awards and nominations

{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Tim Van Patten}}

In 2001, together with Terence Winter, Van Patten won both the Edgar Award and Writers Guild of America Award for Episodic Drama for The Sopranos episode "Pine Barrens," directed by Steve Buscemi.{{cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/sopranos/cast/crew/terence_winter.shtml |title=The Sopranos: Cast & Crew |publisher=HBO |access-date=2014-08-06}}

Year ! Association ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result ! class=unsortable\|{{Abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
class="wikitable sortable"
rowspan=2\|2001	rowspan=15\|Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series	The Sopranos (episode: "Pine Barrens")	{{nom}}
rowspan=3\|Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series	The Sopranos (episode: "Amour Fou")	{{nom}}
2003	The Sopranos (episode: "Whoever Did This")	{{nom}}
rowspan=2\|2004	The Sopranos (episode: "Long Term Parking")	{{nom}}
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series	Sex and the City (episode: "An American Girl in Paris")	{{nom}}
2006	Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series	The Sopranos (episode: "Members Only")	{{nom}}
rowspan=2\|2010	Outstanding Limited Series	The Pacific	{{won}}	rowspan=2\|
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series	The Pacific (episode: "Okinawa")	{{nom}}
rowspan=2\|2011	Outstanding Drama Series	Boardwalk Empire (season 1)	{{nom}}	rowspan=2\|
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series	Game of Thrones (episode: "Winter Is Coming")	{{nom}}
rowspan=2\|2012	Outstanding Drama Series	Boardwalk Empire (season 2)	{{nom}}	rowspan=2\|
rowspan=4\|Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series	Boardwalk Empire (episode: "To the Lost")	{{won}}
2013	Boardwalk Empire (episode: "Margate Sands")	{{nom}}
2014	Boardwalk Empire (episode: "Farewell Daddy Blues")	{{nom}}
2015	Boardwalk Empire (episode: "Eldorado")	{{nom}}