Bryan Gordon

Bryan Gordon is an American film and television director, writer, actor and producer who is primarily known for directing comedy television shows.[1]

Early life

Gordon was born and raised in Dover, Delaware.[2] He graduated from Dover High School.[2] He graduated from the University of Delaware[3] in 1969. He is Jewish.[4]

Career

After college, Gordon moved to New York City and started his career as a comedy writer on the ABC late night variety show Fridays in the early 1980s.[2] He became an independent filmmaker, writing and directing the Academy Award-winning short film Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall (1987).[2] His other film directing credits include his full-length directorial debut Career Opportunities (1991), written by John Hughes and starring Frank Whaley and Jennifer Connelly and Pie in the Sky (1996) starring Josh Charles, Anne Heche and John Goodman.

Gordon has directed episodes on such TV series as Grace and Frankie, The Office, Weeds, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The West Wing, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Sports Night (also starring Josh Charles), Curb Your Enthusiasm (created, written by and starring Larry David, Gordon's co-worker on Fridays[2]), Freaks and Geeks and The Wonder Years.[5]

He has directed numerous television pilots — among them One Tree Hill — setting the look and design for the series. He directed and produced the TBS pilot The Wedding Band that premiered in 2012. Also in 2012, he directed the 30 for 30 documentary short for ESPN, "The Arnold Palmer",[6][1] which was nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming in 2013.[7]

In 2009 and 2010, he directed and produced the series Party Down for the Starz Network.[2] In 2015, he co-created, executive produced, and directed Yahoo Screen original series Sin City Saints.[8]

Honors and awards

Gordon has been nominated three times for the Directors Guild of America Award. In 2002, he received its Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.[9]

He also been nominated for an Emmy Award twice — both for his work on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, which he directed numerous episodes over its entire run.

He is a member of his alma mater the University of Delaware's Wall of Fame.[10]

Personal life

Bryan Gordon is married to filmmaker Jessie Nelson. They reside in Los Angeles and have a daughter, actress Molly Gordon (b. 1995).[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Notes
1987 Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall Director and writer
1991 Career Opportunities Director
1995 Pie in the Sky Director and writer

Television

Year Title Notes
1977-1978 Laugh-In Writer, 2 episodes
1980-1981 Fridays Writer, 37 episodes
1991-1992 The Wonder Years Director, 2 episodes
1993 Bakersfield, P.D. Director, episode "The Snake Charmer"
1999 Action Director, episode "Blood Money"
1999-2000 Freaks and Geeks Director, 2 episodes
2000 Ally McBeal Director, episode "The Oddball Parade"
Sports Night Director, episode "Draft Day: Part I — It Can't Rain at Indian Wells"
M.Y.O.B. Director, 2 episodes
Gideon's Crossing Director, episode "Freak Show"
Boston Public Director, episode "Chapter Four"
The Michael Richards Show Director, episode "The Consultant"
2000-2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Director, 9 episodes
2001 The West Wing Director, episode "The Stackhouse Filibuster"
Dead Last Director, episode "Gastric Distress"
2001-2002 Maybe It's Me Director, 6 episodes
2002 Hidden Hills Director, episode "Christmas"
That Was Then Director, episode "Under Noah's Certain Terms"
Do Over Director, episode "Hollyween (a.k.a. Halloween Kiss)"
2003 Andy Richter Controls the Universe Director, episode "Bully the Kid"
The O'Keefes Director, episode "Election"
One Tree Hill Director, 2 episodes
2004 Jack & Bobby Director, episode "The Lost Boys"
2005-2006 The Office Director, 2 episodes: "The Alliance" and "The Injury"
2006 Weeds Director, episode "Last Tango in Agrestic"
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Director, episode "B-12"
Help Me Help You Director, episode "Raging Bill"
2007 Life Is Wild Director, episode "Pilot"
2009-2010 Party Down Director, 9 episodes; Producer, 15 episodes
2010 Childrens Hospital Director, 2 episodes
2011 Mr. Sunshine Director, 2 episodes
The Paul Reiser Show Director, episode "Pilot"
Man Up! Director, episode "Wingmen"
Portlandia Consulting producer, 6 episodes
2012 Free Agents Director, episode "Are You There, Helen? It's Me, God"
Wedding Band Director and producer, episode "Pilot"
30 for 30 Director, episode "The Arnold Palmer"
Up All Night Director, 2 episodes
2013 How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) Director, episode "How to Not Screw Up Your Kid"
Trophy Wife Director, episode "Cold File"
Welcome to the Family Director, episode "Junior Takes a Stand"
2013-2014 The Neighbors Director, 2 episodes
2014 Bad Teacher Director, episode "Fieldtrippers"
2015 Sin City Saints Creator and executive producer, 8 episodes; Director, 6 episodes
Grace and Frankie Director, episode "The Dinner"

Acting Work

Year Title Role Notes
1975 The Edge of Night Ewell Unknown episode
1979 The Seeding of Sarah Burns Roger Deems
California Fever Mel Gaines Episode "The Underground Jock"
1980 Seeds of Innocence Dr. Beyers
1985 Amazing Stories Father Episode "Fine Tuning"
1994 Corrina, Corrina Business Associate
1998 Sour Grapes Doug

References

  1. ^ a b Cingari, Jennifer (November 12, 2012). "Front & Center: Comedy director Bryan Gordon on directing 30 for 30 short film, The Arnold Palmer". espnfrontrow.com. ESPN. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Cormier, Ryan (October 30, 2009). "'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' Delaware-style". DelawareOnline.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  3. ^ "University of Delaware Prominent Alumni". bluehens.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  4. ^ Handler, Rachel (March 26, 2021). "Molly Gordon Didn't Mean to Steal That Scene". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2021-03-26. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Bryan Gordon at IMDb
  6. ^ "The Arnold Palmer". ESPN. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  7. ^ "The Nominees for the 34th Annual Sports Emmy® Awards". emmysonline.com. New York, New York: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. ^ Sin City Saints at the Internet Movie Database
  9. ^ "DGA Announces Winners of 2002 Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards & Recipients of DGA 2003 Special Recognition Awards". Directors Guild of America. 2 March 2003. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Inductees to the Wall of Fame". UDconnection.com.