Mel Damski
Encyclopedia
Melvin "Mel" Damski is an American director and producer of film and television.
, New York
having Russian Jewish
heritage. He has two brothers and one sister. Damski grew up in New York and attended Colgate University on a football scholarship. He was a reporter for Long Island Newsday before moving to Los Angeles to attend The American Film Institute in 1972.
Currently Damski is the Producing-Director of "Psych" in addition to teaching film and television at NYU. He is also President of Lyrique Wine Company, a small family owned winery.
In 1998, Damski was nominated for an Academy Award for a best documentary, and short subjects for the film Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
which was made in 1997, also he shared it with Andrea Blaugrund.
In 1981, Damski was nominated for an Emmy Award
for outstanding directing in a drama series for the film American Dream
.
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'.
Life and career
Damski was born in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
having Russian Jewish
History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union
The vast territories of the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest populations of Jews in the diaspora. Within these territories the Jewish community flourished and developed many of modern Judaism's most distinctive theological and cultural traditions, while also facing periods of...
heritage. He has two brothers and one sister. Damski grew up in New York and attended Colgate University on a football scholarship. He was a reporter for Long Island Newsday before moving to Los Angeles to attend The American Film Institute in 1972.
Currently Damski is the Producing-Director of "Psych" in addition to teaching film and television at NYU. He is also President of Lyrique Wine Company, a small family owned winery.
In 1998, Damski was nominated for an Academy Award for a best documentary, and short subjects for the film Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is a 1997 short documentary film directed by Mel Damski. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
which was made in 1997, also he shared it with Andrea Blaugrund.
In 1981, Damski was nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for outstanding directing in a drama series for the film American Dream
American Dream
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each...
.
In 1979, Damski was nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for outstanding directing in a drama series for the television series Lou Grant
Lou Grant (TV series)
Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
(1977) for the episode 'Murder'.
Selected filmography
- Long Journey Back (1978) (TV)
- Lou GrantLou Grant (TV series)Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
(1977-1978) (TV series) - A Perfect Match (1980) (TV)
- Word of HonorWord of Honor (1981 film)Word of Honor is a 1981 film co-written by David Ackles. It starred Karl Malden and featured appearances by a young Ron Silver and the film debut of John Malkovich. It was directed by Mel Damski. This film was produced by Alex Karras and his wife Susan Clark ; Alex manages to make a brief...
(1981) (TV) - American DreamAmerican DreamThe American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each...
(1981) (TV) - For Ladies OnlyFor Ladies OnlyFor Ladies Only is the sixth studio album by the band Steppenwolf, released in 1971 . It is a political concept album mainly about feminism but with several more conventional songs about romance as well, both unusual themes for Steppenwolf...
(1981) (TV) - YellowbeardYellowbeardYellowbeard is a 1983 comedy film by Graham Chapman, along with Peter Cook, Bernard McKenna and David Sherlock. It was directed by Mel Damski, and was Marty Feldman's last film appearance.-Plot:...
(1983) - Attack on Fear (1984) (TV)
- MischiefMischief (film)Mischief is a 1985 teen comedy film starring Doug McKeon, Chris Nash, Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelly Preston. The film was directed by Mel Damski and written by Noel Black...
(1985) - Badge of the Assassin (1985) (TV)
- The Three KingsThe Three KingsOrion's Belt or The Belt of Orion is an asterism in the constellation Orion. It consists of the three bright stars: ζ Ori , ε Ori , and δ Ori . Alnitak is approximately 800 light years away from Earth and, taking into consideration ultraviolet radiation, which the human eye cannot see, Alnitak is...
(1987) (TV) - Happy TogetherHappy Together (1989 American film)Happy Together is a 1989 American romantic comedy film starring Patrick Dempsey and Helen Slater. The film was marketed with the taglines, "Roommates by accident...lovers by choice", and "How do I love thee, Let me count the ways...". Brad Pitt, in one of his first roles, has a minor part in the...
(1989) - Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClureEverybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClureEverybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure is a dramatic film, based on a true story of the rescue of 18 month old baby Jessica McClure in a water well.-Plot:...
(1989) (TV) - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an 1889 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The book was originally titled A Yankee in King Arthur's Court...
(1989) (TV) - The Girl Who Came Between Them (1990) (TV)
- Blood RiverBlood River (film)Blood River is a 2009 psychological thriller film written by Simon Boyes and Adam Mason and directed by Adam Mason. It follows a newlywed couple’s relationship during a chance encounter with a mysterious drifter in a deserted ghost town.-Cast:...
(1991) (TV) - Class of '96Class of '96Class of '96 is an American drama series that aired on Fox from January to May 1993. The series was created by John Romano and filmed mostly at the University of Toronto.-Synopsis:...
(1993) (TV series) - Picket FencesPicket FencesPicket Fences is a 60-minute American television drama about the residents of the fictional town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show initially ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on the CBS television network in the United States...
(1992-1993) (TV series) - Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
(1994) (TV series) - Harts of the West (1994) (TV series)
- Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
(1994) (TV series) (unknown episodes) - American GothicAmerican GothicAmerican Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that...
(1995) (TV series) (unknown episodes) - Nowhere ManNowhere Man (TV series)Nowhere Man is an American television series that aired from 1995 to 1996 starring Bruce Greenwood. Created by Lawrence Hertzog, the series aired Monday nights on UPN. Despite critical acclaim, including TV Guides label of "The season's coolest hit," the show was cancelled after only one...
(1996) (TV series) - Early EditionEarly EditionEarly Edition is an American television series that aired on CBS from September 28, 1996 to May 27, 2000. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois, it follows the adventures of a man who mysteriously receives each Chicago Sun-Times newspaper the day before it is actually published, and who uses this...
(1996) (TV series) (unknown episodes) - The Care and Handling of Roses (1996) (TV)
- Their Second Chance (1997) (TV)
- Pacific PalisadesPacific Palisades (TV series)Pacific Palisades is an American soap opera that aired on Fox during prime time from April to July 1997. Produced by Aaron Spelling, the show was cancelled after just thirteen episodes despite a last-minute attempt to increase ratings by casting Joan Collins.-Plot summary:Set in the Los Angeles...
(1997) (TV series) - Still Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs FolliesStill Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs FolliesStill Kicking: The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies is a 1997 short documentary film directed by Mel Damski. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
(1997) - Vengeance UnlimitedVengeance UnlimitedVengeance Unlimited was a TV series broadcasted during 1998-1999 on ABC which lasted for just one season of sixteen episodes. The show starred Michael Madsen as Mr. Chapel, a mysterious and pragmatic character keen on serving justice to those who have been ignored by the law...
(1998) (TV series) - The Love Boat: The Next WaveThe Love Boat: The Next WaveThe Love Boat: The Next Wave is an American television series which was based on the ABC sitcom The Love Boat. The series aired on UPN from 1998 to 1999.-Plot:...
(1998-1999) (TV series) - Ally (1999) (TV series) (unknown episodes)
- The PracticeThe PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
(1998-2000) (TV series) - Boston PublicBoston PublicBoston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. It centered on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was named for the real public school district in which it takes place...
(2000) (TV series) - TitansTitans (TV series)Titans is a short-lived American prime time soap opera that debuted on October 4, 2000 on NBC. Thirteen episodes were filmed, of which eleven were actually aired. Produced by Aaron Spelling, the series was initially marketed as a "Dynasty for the new millennium," attempting to emulate the style of...
(2000) (TV series) - The Clark Family (2001) (TV)
- Ally McBealAlly McBealAlly McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
(1997-2001) (TV series) - The TickThe TickThe Tick is a fictional character created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986 as a newsletter mascot for the New England Comics chain of Boston area comic stores. He is an absurdist spoof of comic book superheroes. After its creation, the character spun off into an independent comic book series in...
(2002) (TV series) - The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(2002) (TV series) - EverwoodEverwoodEverwood is an American drama television series that initially aired in the United States on The WB. The series is set in the fictional small town of Everwood, Colorado, and was filmed in Ogden, South Salt Lake, and Draper, Utah, except the series pilot which was filmed in Canmore, Alberta,...
(2003) (TV series) - Without a TraceWithout a TraceWithout a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
(2003) (TV series) - 1-800-Missing1-800-MissingMissing is a Canadian-American crime drama television series based on the 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU book series by Meg Cabot...
(2003) (TV series) - Judging AmyJudging AmyJudging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
(2003) (TV series) - Kevin HillKevin HillKevin Hill is an American legal drama that aired on UPN during the 2004-2005 TV season.-Synopsis:The series stars Taye Diggs as the title character, a lawyer who has to balance his professional career and his love life with having custody of Sarah, his 10 month old cousin...
(2004) (TV series) - Point PleasantPoint Pleasant (TV series)Point Pleasant is a television series that first aired on the Fox Network in January 2005. It was cancelled in March 2005 due to poor ratings....
(2005) (TV series) - Boston LegalBoston LegalBoston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
(2004-2005) (TV series) - Charmed (1999-2006) (TV series)
- Las VegasLas Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
(2006) (TV series) - Beautiful People (2006) (TV series)
- The Wedding BellsThe Wedding BellsThe Wedding Bells is an American television comedy-drama that debuted on Fox on March 7, 2007. The series was greenlighted after the network became interested in a series centered on wedding planners. The network approached David E...
(2007) (TV series) - Psych (2006-2010) (TV series)
- LegendaryLegendary (film)Legendary is a 2010 drama film directed by Mel Damski. The film stars Devon Graye as a high school wrestler, in a cast that features John Cena, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover, Madeleine Martin, and Tyler Posey...
(2010)